Structured around one of the concepts students struggle with the most—the research question—this book begins with how to understand the role of good questions before demonstrating how questions underpin good research designs and how social research can be framed as asking and answering questions. Perfect for undergraduate students new to methods, it teaches students how qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research can be used to answer these questions.



"An incredibly resourceful book that contains a forensic insight into social research methods, offering the full range of contemporary approaches. Students will find particular value in the accessibility and detail of the text. Each chapter provides a set of learning outcomes, study questions and further reading." - Dr Ruth McAreavey, Newcastle University



Supported by a website that maps online resources to key stages of the learning process, it helps students:


-          Understand the scientific method


-          Learn the vocabulary of social science research


-          Plan and design research


-          Practice with and interpret data


-          Explore social science literature and improve assignments with good citations


-          Improve critical thinking.



Extensive visualizations, overviews, examples, exercises, and other learning features, make this the perfect introductory text to build confidence and best practice around research methods.