Table of Contents

Introduction; Research for social policy and social work; Ethical conduct and research practice; Formulating research ideas and questions; Methodological issues and approaches; Quantitative research; Qualitative research; Dissemination, knowledge transfer and making an impact; Glossary; List of contributors: Pete Alcock - University of Birmingham, Charles Antaki - Loughborough University, Karl Ashworth - Office for National Statistics, Mary Baginsky - Children's Workforce Development Council, Matt Barnard - Head of Evaluation NSPCC, Sarah Banks - Durham University, Fiona Becker - NSPCC, Saul Becker - University of Nottingham, Peter Beresford - Brunel University, Nigel Bilsbrough - Loughborough University, Annette Boaz - Kings College London, Joanna Bornat - The Open University, Jonathan Bradshaw - University of York, John D. Brewer - University of Aberdeen, Alan Bryman - Leicester University, Emma Carmel - University of Bath, Patrick Carmichael - Liverpool John Moores University, Anne Corden - University of York, Louise Corti - University of Essex, Gary Craig - University of Durham, Duncan Cramer - Loughborough University, Christopher Day - University of Nottingham, David Deacon - Loughborough University, David de Vaus - University of Queensland Australia, Mary Dixon-Woods - University of Leicester, Harry Ferguson - University of Nottingham, Ben Fincham - University of Sussex, Jerry Floersch - Rutgers University School of Social Work New Jersey USA, Lynn Froggett - University of Central Lancashire, Rachel Fyson - University of Nottingham, Graham R. Gibbs - University of Huddersfield, David Gordon - University of Bristol, Hilary Graham - University of York, Martyn Hammersley - The Open University, Mark Hardy - University of York, Alexa Hepburn - Loughborough University, Michael Hirst - University of York, Lesley Hoggart - University of Greenwich, Lisa Holmes - Loughborough University, Sally Holland - Cardiff University, Annie Irvine - University of York, Stephen Joseph - University of Nottingham, Savita Katbamna - University of Leicester, Ravi KS Kohli - University of Bedfordshire, Jane Lewis - London School of Economics & Political Science, Pranee Liamputtong - La Trobe University Australia, Jeffrey Longhofer - Rutgers University of School of Social Work New Jersey USA, Clare Madge - University of Leicester, Reima Ana Maglajlic - Swansea University, Nicholas Mays - London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Stephen McKay - University of Birmingham, Bren Neale - University of Leeds, Carolyn Noble - Victoria University Melbourne Australia, Henrietta O'Connor - University of Leicester, Stewart Page - University of Windsor Canada, Jan Pahl - University of Kent, Alison Park - National Centre for Social Research, Elizabeth Peel - Aston University, Cassandra Phoenix - University of Exeter, Robert Pinker - London School of Economics and Political Science, Jennie Popay - Lancaster University, Catherine Pope - University of Southampton, Jonathan Potter - Loughborough University, Stephen Potter - The Open University, Colin Robson - University of Huddersfield, Karen Rowlingson - University of Birmingham, Roy Sainsbury - University of York, Jonathan Scourfield - Cardiff University, Clive Seale - Queen Mary University of London, Joe Sempik - University of Nottingham, Elaine Sharland - University of Sussex, Ian F Shaw - University of York, Janet Smithson - University of Exeter, William Solesbury - ESRC UK Centre for Evidence Based Policy, Bruce Stafford - University of Nottingham, Patricia Thomson - University of Nottingham, Peter Townsend - formerly University of Bristol, Harriet Ward - Loughborough University, Samantha Warren - University of Essex, David Westlake - Loughborough University, Sue White - University of Birmingham, Sharon Witherspoon - The Nuffield Foundation, Ruth Wodak - Lancaster University

About the Author

Saul Becker is Head of the School of Sociology and Social Policy and Professor of Social Policy and Social Care at The University of Nottingham, UK. Alan Bryman is Professor of Organisational and Social Research, School of Management, University of Leicester, UK and the leading expert on social research methods. Harry Ferguson is Professor of Social Work and Director of the Centre for Social Work, School of Sociology and Social Policy, The University of Nottingham, UK and a leading social work academic.

Reviews

"Becker and Bryman did a masterful job...North American public policy students could learn a lot from this book and methodology instructors could have their load considerably eased if URfSPP was more widely read". Kennedy Stewart, Associate Professor, Simon Fraser University School of Public Policy and Member of Parliament for Burnaby-Douglas "Takes you on a fascinating journey through the world of social research and is so well written it is a joy to read...a superb text - an outstanding organizational and intellectual achievement." International Journal of Social Research Methodology