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'Whether embarking on research as an undergraduate or for a doctorate, Gary Thomas' book will be of great value to you. It is refreshingly different from other books about doing research: it's informative, well-written, wide-ranging yet sufficiently detailed and above all it's enjoyable to read! I recommend it highly'.

Professor Peter Earley, Institute of Education, University of London

Are you doing a research project? Do you need advice on how to carry out research?

Using practical examples, this book takes you through what should happen at each phase in the project's schedule. Gary Thomas explains the main design frames and methods of data collection and analysis used in education and social science research, and provides down to earth advice on how to weave these elements together into a coherent whole.

Structured according to the main phases of doing a project, the book covers

· deciding your topic and your research question

· project management and study skills

· doing a literature review

· methodology and research design

· design frames

· ethics and access

· how to analyse the information you gather

· discussing findings, theorising, concluding and writing up

This book is an essential read for undergraduate, postgraduate, CPD and doctoral students undertaking a project in the applied social sciences.

Comments from tutors:

'I loved this book! It brought research methods alive': Gill Richards ,Nottingham Trent University

'Unputdownable': Joy Jarvis ,University of Hertfordshire

'Accessible and encouraging style': Neil Stott ,Nottingham Trent University

Comments from students:

'Brilliant': Alison Patterson

'Love the visual models': Susan Allan

'Filled me with optimism': Anne Cowan

'Very entertaining as well as extremely useful': Viv Brown

Gary Thomas is Professor of Education at the University of Birmingham.