Reviewed by Marian Whitehead, language and early years consultant.
This substantial and invaluable handbook for the serious early childhood student and aspiring researcher claims to demystify the research process, and it does so with thoroughness and clarity.
The papers in the compilation are in three sections covering 'The Nature of Research', 'Analysis and Design' and 'The Research Process in Action'. I began by reading the latter section first as it really is 'the eating' that proves the quality of the pudding. And good wholesome fare it was too! But I hope that researchers and students will also take time off from their most pressing research queries to mull over the procedural and ethical issues raised in the earlier sections of the book. We could all transform our work in the early years by taking to heart the list of 'Principles for high quality research' in chapter one. Furthermore, puzzling terminology and different approaches to research are explored with style and illustrated by examples taken from published research.
In recent years there have been many wild claims made for so-called early childhood 'research' and many dubious initiatives rest on these dodgy foundations. This timely and scholarly book can make a useful contribution to promoting better early childhood research practices internationally.
