Overview

Writers like Rorty, Popper, Dewey and Feyerabend suggest that rather than searching for more and more exacting and rigorous rules for how to undertake well justified research, we need to be concerned with communities of doubters. These, if adequately applying dialectic argument, will act to challenge unjustified knowledge claims, and so save us all from being deceived. This book encourages doubt by providing over a dozen ways to critique research, especially where that research results in knowledge claims about human activities. Each chapter provides another pragmatic conception of knowledge, used to question the assumptions behind whatever research work you have just read. Therefore, the book offers a way of learning about your own discipline specific research literature, while also learning how to design a well-justified research report.

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9780773454415

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Reviews

This exciting new book by Dr. Mike Metcalfe draws attention to the neglected topic of argumentation in research... Reading this work reinforces the idea that we ask students and authors not just to perform good research, but also to 'tell a good story' when they present their findings; that is, to pay attention to their argument. - Professor Shirley Gregor Australian National University Dr. Metcalfe's book takes a step back from the stampede of research methods books, side-stepping the methodology versus epistemology debate and returning to a more inclusive view of how communities create and justify knowledge. He focuses on critical argument and its converse, critique... As an important and inspiring book that adds clarity, logical reasoning and critical thinking to research endeavors, this is a 'must read' book for the research community at large. - Professor Dubravka Cecez-Kecmanovic University of New South Wales

"""This exciting new book by Dr. Mike Metcalfe draws attention to the neglected topic of argumentation in research... Reading this work reinforces the idea that we ask students and authors not just to perform good research, but also to 'tell a good story' when they present their findings; that is, to pay attention to their argument."" - Professor Shirley Gregor Australian National University ""Dr. Metcalfe's book takes a step back from the stampede of research methods books, side-stepping the methodology versus epistemology debate and returning to a more inclusive view of how communities create and justify knowledge. He focuses on critical argument and its converse, critique... As an important and inspiring book that adds clarity, logical reasoning and critical thinking to research endeavors, this is a 'must read' book for the research community at large."" - Professor Dubravka Cecez-Kecmanovic University of New South Wales"""

Author Information

Dr. Mike Metcalfe currently teaches at the University of South Australia, serving mainly as a Ph.D. thesis adviser. He earned his Ph.D. from Adelaide University. Dr. Metcalfe's most recent publications include Business Research through Argument (Kluwer Academic, 1995) and Profit Forecasting (Kluwer Academic, 1994).

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