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SAGE Research Methods Online

This guide provides users with an overview of the features included within the Sage Research Methods Online database.

Start Your Research with SAGE Research Methods

SAGE Research Methods can help you with every stage of your research project. 

Nearly every research project has 9 main steps:

  1. Defining a Topic
  2. Developing a Researchable Research Question
  3. Designing Your Research and Choosing Your Method
  4. Researching Ethically and Safely
  5. Reviewing the Literature
  6. Doing Fieldwork/Gathering Data
  7. Analyzing Your Data/Findings
  8. Writing Up
  9. Dissemination

SRM's Project Planner will guide you through each step of the research process with instructional content.  As you enter each step of the research process the Project Planner will walk you through it by posing questions and processes to consider at each level.

1. Defining a Topic

You may already have a topic in mind, or your topic was assigned to you.  If not, search Topic on SRM, and this book chapter entry, “Choosing a Topic” will help you choose a sound area to study.

 

2. Developing a Researchable Research Question

A research question is more refined than a topic.  For help writing your research question, do a search. An encyclopedia entry is a good place to start for an introductory overview.

3. Designing Your Research and Choosing Your Method

The Methods Map can help you choose a method if you’re not sure which to use.  If you already have your method, you can search directly for it.  The search results will provide both brief explanations of the method via dictionary and encyclopedia entries as well as in-depth how-tos in book-length entries.

 

4. Researching Ethically and Safely

If ethics is a concern for your project, SRM contains a number of resources to help.

 

5. Reviewing the Literature

A literature review is a crucial step to monitor what has already been written about your topic. SRM has many resources on how to conduct a literature review.

6. Doing Fieldwork/Gathering Data

Sage Research Methods Online contains numerous book titles on particular methods, which will equip you to gather and analyze your data.  SRM Case Studies can show you the obstacles and questions that can often arise in the course of a project to help you anticipate these twists.

7. Analyzing Your Data/Findings

Master quantitative and qualitative data analysis with step-by-step guides and sample data with SRM Datasets.  Search SRM Online to find ebooks and videos that provide information about how to analyze data within a research project.

8. Writing Up

Books with step-by-step information on hundreds of data collection methods are included.  In this instance, our researcher has chosen a survey, and Designing Surveys includes steps on writing and organizing the questions, designing and selecting the sample, and tips on reducing sources of error in the collection.  

                                             

9. Dissemination

Dissemination might be as simple as turning in your paper at the end of term. If you are completing a dissertation and/or looking to publish, SRM has information on that as well.  Just search for those terms.