What is the Student Researcher's Toolkit?
This part of the website is intended to help you design, carry out and write up a social science research project. It will be particularly helpful if you are expected to conduct a piece of small scale research for your university or college course, as it is full of practical advice and suggestions. The Toolkit is a collection of information and resources about research methodology, which you may wish to consult alongside the relevant chapters of the Social Research Methods textbook and the other parts of this online resource centre: the multiple choice questions, web links, student experience podcasts, and guide to using Excel.
In this Toolkit you will find short answers to some of the 'frequently asked questions' that students often ask as they begin a research project, such as how to find the existing literature on your topic, how to choose an appropriate method, and how to plan your time. There is also a list of 'Do's and 'Don't's, summarizing some important practical hints and tips, a set of vignettes about problems you might encounter when doing a research project, and a set of useful links to other related websites.
You can return to the Toolkit throughout the course of your project, as you encounter different challenges or think of new questions: open it up, have a look around and select the piece of advice you think would be most relevant to your dilemma. We hope that this collection of resources will help you on your way, but don't forget that it is also important to keep in regular contact with your supervisor or tutor and to listen to their advice!
