ABSTRACT

The methodological needs of environmental studies are unique in the breadth of research questions that can be posed, calling for a textbook that covers a broad swath of approaches to conducting research with potentially many different kinds of evidence.  

Written specifically for social science-based research into the environment, this book covers the best-practice research methods most commonly used to study the environment and its connections to societal and economic activities and objectives. Over five key parts, Kanazawa introduces quantitative and qualitative approaches, mixed methods, and the special requirements of interdisciplinary research, emphasizing that methodological practice should be tailored to the specific needs of the project. Within these parts, detailed coverage is provided on key topics including the identification of a research project; spatial analysis; ethnography approaches; interview technique; and ethical issues in environmental research. 

Drawing on a variety of extended examples to encourage problem-based learning and fully addressing the challenges associated with interdisciplinary investigation, this book will be an essential resource for students embarking on courses exploring research methods in environmental studies.

chapter |20 pages

General research design principles

chapter |22 pages

Quantitative data and sampling

chapter |24 pages

Basic quantitative methods and analysis

chapter |17 pages

Spatial analysis and GIS

chapter |22 pages

The case study method

chapter |17 pages

The ethnographic approach

chapter |15 pages

Actor-network theory

chapter |18 pages

Environmental discourse analysis

chapter |13 pages

Action research

chapter |18 pages

Mixed methods

chapter |28 pages

Data collection I

Principles of surveying

chapter |20 pages

Data collection II

Interviewing

chapter |18 pages

Ethical issues in environmental research

chapter |23 pages

Writing a research proposal