Doing social research: A guide to non-native English speakers 2023 published by Springer-Singapore

Dr. Saliya

This book by Dr. C. A. Saliya is an English adaptation of the original Sinhala book SAMAJA GAVESHAKAYA published in early 2022. It exemplifies Dr Saliya’s skills of integrating of academic scholarly thinking and sharp professional approach in conducting social research. He has conceptualised, designed and developed this book especially for non-native English-speaking budding researchers in the academic as well as the professional fields and is online available here: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-19-3780-4.

With the exposure to both fields, academic (PhD) and the industry (KPMG trained Chartered Accountant, Professional Banker) coupled with overseas exposure being living in New Zealand for 20 years, Dr. Saliya recognises that successful explanation to phenomena requires the researcher to approach problems with both quantitative, qualitative as well as mixed-method methodologies. Therefore, the author presents not only the deductive and the inductive approaches but also abductive inferences which demands the researcher to be flexible in his/her views while dealing with multiple interpretations without confining to a single ontological position.

In many ways, Dr. Saliya’s work is unique; more illustrations and less texts; the simplicity of language that carefully avoids jargon in order to communicate effectively. He describes and defines the concepts for the benefit of the beginner and illustrates them with real life examples, mainly from Sri Lanka. He covers the full range of issue areas in the subject so that this work is a compendium on research methods including problem recognition, conceptualisation, operationalisation, data gathering techniques, data analysis, drawing inferences, discussion in conjunction with previous knowledge, and communicating the research in conformity with international standards.

After all, Dr. Saliya demonstrates how instructors and supervisors in research alike must apply their roles professionally. This book would become a landmark in the evolution of new research traditions in our world as the publisher Springer being one of the well-known publishing houses.

Currently he is attached to Sri Lanka Institute of Technology, Malabe, supervising many research students there.

With the approval of the National Library and Documentation Services Board of The Ministry of Education as a recommended book for libraries, the second print of the original Sinhala book SAMAJA GAVESHAKAYA will be available in bookstores and libraries very soon.