Doing your early years research project : a step-by-step guide / Guy Roberts-Holmes.

Contents
YOU CAN DO RESEARCH
Your Feelings About Doing Research
Myths About Early Childhood Research
An Inclusive Approach Towards Early Childhood Research
Your Research Project within Early Childhood Studies
The Professionalisation of Early Childhood Studies
Principles of High-quality Early Childhood Research
The Research Process within Early Childhood Studies
Everyday Research Skills
The Responsibilities of your Supervisor
The Overall Structure of your Research Report
Your Responsibilities Throughout the Research
The Research Tutorial
Your Research Timetabling

YOUR RESEARCH STORY, METHODOLOGY AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Reflecting Upon Your Personal Story
Methodology
Some Research Stories
Your Reflective Diary
High Levels of Motivation
Professional Motivations
Focusing On Your Area of Interest
The Overall Research Questions and the Field Questions
Getting Your Research Questions Right - Breadth and Depth
Doing a Pilot Study

DESIGNING YOUR RESEARCH
Two Research Traditions
Positivist Validity
Interpretivist Validity
Triangulation and Validity
The Positivist and Interpretive Tradition: An Example
Action Research
Case Studies
Surveys
Broad and Deep Research
Justifying Your Methods
The Research Plan

ETHICAL ISSUES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD RESEARCH
Legislation and the Participatory Rights of Children
Sociology and the Participatory Rights of Children
Children's Participation and Protection
A Reflective Impact Assessment of Research on Children
Your Emotional Vulnerability
Informed Consent
Informed Consent, Confidentiality and Child Protection
Informed Consent Leaflet for Children
Socially Inclusive and Respectful Relationships with Children
Informed Consent Is an Ongoing Process
Negotiating Access with the Gatekeepers
'Feedback' and Closure of the Research
Ethical Dilemmas Are Hard To Resolve
Ethical Checklist

DOING YOUR LITERATURE REVIEW
Why Do a Literature Review?
Sources for Your Literature Review
Potential Difficulties
Starting Off Your Literature Review
How to Write Your Literature Review
Writing Bibliographies and References
Appendix 1: List of Early Years Journals
Appendix 2: Annotated List of Early Years Professional and Research-Based Websites

OBSERVATION: LOOKING AND LISTENING
Why Do Observations?
What Is Observation?
Interpretation
Being Open in Your Looking and Listening
Knowing the Context of Your Research Setting
Unstructured Observations
Structured Observations
Tally Counting
Observation Schedules
Event Sampling and Running Records
Video Observations
Observational Diagrams
Participant Observation

INTERVIEWING CHILDREN AND ADULTS
Different Types of Interviews
The Interview Guide
Probing
The Differences between An Interview And A Chat
Focus Group Conversations with Children
Children as Researchers
Using Structured Activities
Reflective Interviewing
A Wide Diversity of Children
Tape-Recording

CREATIVE LISTENING TO YOUNG CHILDREN
Developing Cultures of Meaningful Participation
What Is Creative Listening?
The Mosaic Approach
Cameras and Ethics
Children's Photographs and Walking Tours
Children's Drawings
Children's Interpretations of Their Pictures

WRITING AND USING QUESTIONNAIRES
Using Questionnaires
Using Questionnaires to Identify Issues
Writing Your Questionnaire
Different Types of Questions

THE ANALYSIS OF YOUR DATA AND WRITING THE CONCLUSION
The Process of Organising Your Data
Sorting It All Out
Use a Wide Range of Data
Generating Categories and Themes
Writing Your Conclusion
Further Research Questions
Sharing Your Research

Includes bibliographical references and index.