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An introduction to the journal is presented which the editors discuss an article regarding the narrative approach to ethical research by Julie White and Tanya Fitzgerald, an analysis on the ethical issues in a project funded by Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) by Renée DePalma, and a discussion on the exercise of academic freedom.

This paper raises some questions about academic authorial honesty under the headings of Plagiarism (including self-plagiarism), Theft, and Collusion. Compared with the medical sciences, the social sciences in general and education specifically, lag behind in terms of critical attention being paid to the problem of plagiarism, the peer review process and academic authorial ethics. The ubiquity of the Internet, the ever intensifying demand to publish or perish, and maybe, a general shift in perceptions of what constitutes 'bad' plagiarism and collusion which challenge traditional notions of what constitutes authorial honesty, mean that the time may be ripe for a consideration by academic writers and journal editors of how they regard and deal with the whole area. This paper makes an early contribution to the discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses several articles that are in the current issue of the "British Educational Research Journal." Each of the articles in the issue discuss, either directly or indirectly, methodological issues in teaching. The first article presents a more deep examination and critique of the traditional and modern grounded theories. Another article discusses how work environments can be studied and used as a predictor of teacher burn out. The study focuses on a relatively new area because it specifically examines beginning teachers, as well as using longitudinal design to study the evidence.

This paper considers some of the decisions that researchers take and raises issues around researcher reflexivity, identity, values and ethics. It focuses attention on researchers and reflects on how the research they do, the topics they investigate, the methodologies they espouse, the methods they use and the writing/reporting styles they adopt, can have implications both in terms of their career development and with regard to their personal integrity and moral positioning. It is something of a truism to state that the sorts of research that get done depend upon the decisions researchers make. However, the relationship between research completed and in the public domain and individual researchers' choices is by no means a simple or straightforward one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article comments on the symposium titled Educational Research and the Necessity of Theory." The papers in the symposium arose out of the concern that educational researchers in Great Britain have neglected, and continue to neglect, and even deliberately avoid, theory. There are two opposing groups when it comes to theory. There are those of found it scary and frightening and there are those who are excited by it and believes that "theory floated their boat." The author believes that theory is an essential aspect of educational research and other research in social sciences.

Introduces the articles published in the December 2005 issue of the "British Educational Research Journal."

The article comments on the 2005 British Educational Research Association (BERA) conference held at the University of Glamorgan. The speech of BERA President Geoff Whitty reflected on the inevitability of conflict in education policy making. Research in education is popularly conceptualized ad understood by politicians. Educational research is a complex and multifaceted area which attempts to understand diverse and sophisticated approaches. The improvement of schools through assessment and audit has been the avowed aim of education policy under the New Labor and Conservative governments.

Introduces the articles which have been published in the June 2005 edition of "British Educational Research Journal."

Editorial. Introduces the April 2005 issue of the "British Educational Research Journal." Examination of three key texts which constitute the building blocks of the new orthodoxy; Illustration of the difficulties with respect to the ontological and epistemological problems inherent in understanding the differences between association and causation in social and educational research; Role for social science and educational research in theory generation and testing.

Presents information about the December 2004 issue of the journal "British Educational Research Journal."

Introduces the articles on educational research published in the June 2004 issue of the "British Educational Research Journal."

The article introduces topics addressed in the issue, including the article "Critical Realism and Statistical Methods: A Response to Nash," by David Scott.