Political Research: An Introduction has been designed to provide an excellent starting point for those new to the area of Research Methods. It assumes no prior knowledge of the subject and sets out the key issues involved in doing research in Politics. This second edition continues to guide students through a complex and often daunting subject by exploring the many concepts associated with the field, as well as offering practical advice on research practices and information resources.

1 Becoming a researcher - developing a framework for analysis 2 Becoming a 'good' researcher - some principles for recognising and addressing ethical challenges 3 Key issues for quantitative research 5 Surveys as a source of quantitative data 6 Large data sets - using existing data and the questions you must ask 7 Key issues for qualitative research 8 Interviews as a source of qualitative data 9 Documents and the mass media - using existing data and the questions you must ask 10 Accessing the past - the opportunities and limitations of archived materials 11 Being a researcher - some principles for addressing your own research question