Includes bibliographical references and index.

PART ONE. LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS Chapter 1. Research design : Planning for the unknowable, the unexpected and the undesirable Chapter 2. How to do a literature review ; Using existing evidence and ideas to build a foundation Chapter 3. How to be an ethical researcher PART TWO. IN THE FIELD Chapter 4. How to manage risk : Protecting yourself and your equipment Chapter 5. How to find a representative sample Chapter 6. How to gain research participation PART THREE. DATA COLLECTION METHODS Chapter 7. How to do Survey Research Chapter 8. How to do interviews and focus groups Chapter 9. How to use existing data : Challenges and opportunities PART FOUR. MANAGING AND ANALYZING DATA Chapter 10. How to manage your data Chapter 11. How to do qualitative data analysis Chapter 12. How to do quantitative data analysis PART FIVE. PRESENTING YOUR RESEARCH Chapter 13. How to Write up your Research.

"Challenging the formality and idealized settings of conventional methods teaching and opting instead for a real world approach to social research this book offers frank, practical advice designed to empower students and researchers alike. Theoretically robust and with an exhaustive coverage of key methodologies and methods the title establishes the cornerstones of social research. Examples reflect research conducted inside and outside formal university settings and range from the extremes of war torn countries to the complexities of school classrooms."--Publisher description.

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