The Craft of Research, Fifth Edition - Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing 5th Edition

About the Book

"With more than a million copies sold since its first publication, The Craft of Research has guided generations of readers at all levels to become better researchers, thinkers, and communicators. The original authors--all of them legendary teachers--believed that research is a communal activity and illustrated how to choose meaningful topics, make sound and compelling arguments, and convey these arguments effectively in writing for the benefit of other researchers. While preserving the book's proven approach to the research process, as well as its distinctive voice and general structure, this new edition recognizes the more diverse ways research is conducted and communicated today. Thoroughly revised by Joseph Bizup and William T. FitzGerald, it acknowledges that research may end in a product other than a paper--or no product at all--and includes a new chapter about effective presentations. It features new examples on contemporary research topics and accounts for new technologies used in research, including basic guidelines for appropriate use of generative AI. And it ends with an expanded chapter on ethics that addresses researchers' broader obligations to their research communities and audiences as well as systemic questions about ethical research practices. This beloved classic is now ready for a new and more diverse generation of researchers"--

Book Synopsis

A thoroughly updated edition of a beloved classic that has guided generations of researchers in conducting effective and meaningful research.

With more than a million copies sold since its first publication, The Craft of Research has helped generations of researchers at every level--from high-school students and first-year undergraduates to advanced graduate students to researchers in business and government. Conceived by seasoned researchers and educators Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams, this fundamental work explains how to choose significant topics, pose genuine and productive questions, find and evaluate sources, build sound and compelling arguments, and convey those arguments effectively to others.

While preserving the book's proven approach to the research process, as well as its general structure and accessible voice, this new edition acknowledges the many ways research is conducted and communicated today. Thoroughly revised by Joseph Bizup and William T. FitzGerald, it recognizes that research may lead to a product other than a paper--or no product at all--and includes a new chapter about effective presentations. It features fresh examples from a variety of fields that will appeal to today's students and other readers. It also accounts for new technologies used in research and offers basic guidelines for the appropriate use of generative AI. And it ends with an expanded chapter on ethics that addresses researchers' broader obligations to their research communities and audiences as well as systemic questions about ethical research practices.

This new edition will be welcomed by a new and more diverse generation of researchers.

From the Back Cover

A thoroughly updated edition of a beloved classic that has guided generations of researchers in conducting effective and meaningful research.

With more than a million copies sold since its first publication, The Craft of Research has helped generations of researchers at every level--from high-school students and first-year undergraduates to advanced graduate students to researchers in business and government. Conceived by seasoned researchers and educators Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams, this fundamental work explains how to choose significant topics, pose genuine and productive questions, find and evaluate sources, build sound and compelling arguments, and convey those arguments effectively to others.

While preserving the book's proven approach to the research process, as well as its accessible voice and general structure, this new edition acknowledges the many ways research is conducted and communicated today. Thoroughly revised by Joseph Bizup and William T. FitzGerald, it recognizes that research may end in a product other than a paper--or no product at all--and includes a new chapter about effective presentations. It features fresh examples from a variety of fields that will appeal to today's students and other readers. It also accounts for new technologies used in research and offers basic guidelines for the appropriate use of generative AI. And it ends with an expanded chapter on ethics that addresses researchers' broader obligations to their research communities and audiences as well as systemic questions about ethical research practices.

This new edition will be welcomed by a new and more diverse generation of researchers.

Review Quotes

"While the underlying principles of research have changed little, its related sources, processes, and applications have changed significantly since the 1995 publication of this book's classic first edition. Even since the fourth edition (2016), a greater variety of tools--such as generative artificial intelligence--and methodologies have emerged. Changes in this book's edition reflect the authors' responses to these advances and changing attitudes; for example, the purposes, genres, and formats of research products have expanded. The growing recognition of collective
intelligence and the need for sound argumentation are also addressed in this edition. What has not changed is the authors' overall approach to research: as a conceptual framework with generic practical advice."-- "Booklist"

About the Author

Wayne C. Booth (1921-2005) was the George M. Pullman Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus in English Language and Literature at the University of Chicago. His many books include The Rhetoric of Fiction and For the Love of It: Amateuring and Its Rivals, both published by the University of Chicago Press. Gregory G. Colomb (1951-2011) was professor of English at the University of Virginia and the author of Designs on Truth: The Poetics of the Augustan Mock-Epic. Joseph M. Williams (1933-2008) was professor in the Department of English Language and Literature at the University of Chicago and the author of Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace. Joseph Bizup is associate professor in the Department of English at Boston University. He revised the last three editions of Williams's Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace. William T. FitzGerald is associate professor in the Department of English and Communication at Rutgers University-Camden and has published widely on writing and research, the rhetoric of prayer, and style.