Research Methods for Construction (eBook)

Richard F. Fellows, Anita M. M. Liu (Autoren)

eBook Download: PDF

2021 | 5. Auflage
John Wiley & Sons (Verlag)
978-1-119-81474-0 (ISBN)

Infos

The new and enhanced edition of the popular textbook on research methods in construction and related disciplines

Research Methods for Construction is designed to help construction students develop the research skills needed to achieve success in their research projects. Providing clear guidance on research formulation, methodologies, and methods, this comprehensive textbook addresses the theoretical, philosophical, and practical aspects of research in many areas of construction. The authors explain the requirements for data and analysis and describe the methods used for scientific and engineering experiments, modelling and simulations, research on management and socio-economic issues, and more.

Now in its fifth edition, Research Methods for Construction is fully revised to reflect contemporary developments and emerging areas of construction research. New and expanded chapters cover topics including data protection and ethics, theory borrowing, sensemaking, and directionally motivated reasoning. This edition includes additional models and details relating to translation, and offers fresh discussion of axiology, determinism, and stochasticism. Providing students with coherent, well-structured account of construction research, this market-leading textbook:

• Emphasizes and instils rigor into construction students' problem-solving, reports, and publications
• Assists researchers in selecting appropriate methods to execute research
• Articulates the stages of construction research processes: producing a proposal, executing the research, and reporting the results
• Examines qualitative and quantitative approaches and statistical considerations for a wide range of construction research
• Discusses current ethical, legal, and regulatory issues pertaining to research in construction

The fifth edition of Research Methods for Construction is the ideal textbook for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students embarking on a research project, at bachelors, masters or doctoral level, in construction, surveying, architecture, civil engineering, and other built environment disciplines.

Richard Fellows is Emeritus Professor of Construction Business Management, Loughborough University, UK. He is an experienced quantity surveyor and in his academic career has taught at several universities in the UK and other countries. His research interests concern economics, contracts and law, and the management of people in construction - especially cultural issues as drivers of behaviour and performance. He was a founder and for many years was joint coordinator of the CIB group, W112 - Culture in Construction. Richard is an editor of a leading construction journal and frequent reviewer of papers for international conferences and journals.

Anita Liu graduated from the University of Reading and returned to Hong Kong to work in a quantity surveying consultancy, for the Hong Kong government, and for a major contractor. She then moved into academia, obtaining an MSc and a PhD from the University of Hong Kong. She became Chair Professor of Commercial Management and Quantity Surveying at Loughborough University and subsequently Head of Department and Professor in the Department of Real Estate and Construction at The University of Hong Kong. She was also joint co-coordinator of CIB group W112: Culture in Construction.

Inhalt

Cover 1
Title Page 3
Copyright 4
Contents 5
About the Authors 11
Preface to the Fifth Edition 13
Chapter 1 Introduction 17
1.1 The concept of research 17
1.2 Classifications of research 21
1.3 Theories and paradigms 26
1.4 Research styles 39
1.5 Quantitative and qualitative approaches 45
1.6 Where to begin 49
1.7 Summary 50
1.7 References 51
Chapter 2 Topic for Study 55
2.1 Selection of a topic 55
2.2 Writing the proposal 62
2.3 Summary 70
2.3 References 70
Chapter 3 Initial Research 75
3.1 The research process 75
3.2 Initial search 83
3.3 Literature based discovery 89
3.4 Assembling the theoretical framework 90
3.5 Philosophy and paradigms 98
3.6 Fuzzy thinking 110
3.7 Theoretical models and constructs 111
3.8 Proper referencing 115
3.9 Summary 117
3.9 References 118
Chapter 4 Approaches to Empirical Work 124
4.1 Starting data collection 124
4.2 Experience 125
4.3 Reasoning and inference 126
4.4 Systems of methods 136
4.5 Research design 137
4.6 Qualitative and quantitative approaches 143
4.7 Experimental 149
4.8 Survey 159
4.9 Secondary 161
4.10 Case study 165
4.11 Ethnographic 169
4.12 Action 172
4.13 Grounded theory (development of theory from data) 173
4.14 Narrative 176
4.15 Modelling 177
4.16 Simulation 180
4.17 Level of research 182
4.18 Practice?based research 185
4.19 Summary 189
4.19 References 190
Chapter 5 Hypotheses 196
5.1 Essentials of a valid hypothesis 196
5.2 Roles of hypotheses 199
5.3 Objective testing of hypotheses 201
5.4 Role of sampling 202
5.5 Common statistical measures 205
5.6 Null hypotheses 212
5.7 Validities 213
5.8 Summary 216
5.8 References 216
Chapter 6 Data Collection 218
6.1 Data requirements 218
6.2 Sources of quantitative data 221
6.3 Collecting data from respondents 224
6.4 Case studies 232
6.5 Triangulation 232
6.6 Sampling 233
6.7 Scales of measurement 241
6.8 Obtaining data 249
6.9 Translation 257
6.10 Response styles and biases 258
6.11 Summary 260
6.11 References 261
Chapter 7 Data Analysis 265
7.1 Analysing data 265
7.2 Plotting data 270
7.3 Statistical methods 274
7.4 Non?parametric tests 275
7.5 Parametric tests 281
7.6 Other analytical techniques 303
7.7 Analysis of qualitative data 310
7.8 Summary 319
7.8 References 320
Chapter 8 Ethics in Research 324
8.1 The concepts of morals and ethics 324
8.2 Research ethics 328
8.3 Data analysis, intellectual property, and data protection 334
8.4 Equality, diversity, and inclusion 337
8.5 Summary 341
8.5 References 342
Chapter 9 Results, Inferences, and Conclusions 347
9.1 Requirements for valid results 347
9.2 Potential sources of error 348
9.3 Reliability 349
9.4 Results 350
9.5 Conclusions 359
9.6 Summary 361
9.6 References 362
Chapter 10 Reports and Presentations 363
10.1 Report production 363
10.2 Communication 364
10.3 Contents of the report 366
10.4 Oral presentation 375
10.5 Summary 376
10.5 References 376
Index 377
EULA 387

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 11.9.2021
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Technik ► Bauwesen
• Schlagworte: Bauausführung • Baubetrieb • Bauingenieur- u. Bauwesen • Civil Engineering & Construction • Construction • Construction Management • construction research • (construction) research ethics • construction research execution • construction research formulation • construction research methodologies • construction research methods • construction research practice • construction research projects • construction research textbook • research methods for construction students
• ISBN-10: 1-119-81474-X / 111981474X
• ISBN-13: 978-1-119-81474-0 / 9781119814740