Companion Web Site:�http://www.sagepub.co.uk/resources/oleary/oleary.htm The Essential Guide to Doing Research is a comprehensive, practical, and engaging guide to understanding and embarking upon social science research. By adopting a clear and accessible approach, Zina O'Leary encourages students to think about, and engage with, every aspect of the research process. The book stresses that all good research should be seen as a process of constantly assessing one's work and making decisions about the best possible means for obtaining credible data and results. The Essential Guide to Doing Research is therefore designed to encourage lateral, strategic and creative thinking, while providing essential knowledge and skills to students and researchers. Key features of the text include: - coverage of all aspects of doing research, from research design to implementation and dissemination - an emphasis on the creative and strategic thinking skills needed to negotiate the research process - extensive use of figures and diagrams to illustrate key points and to create clarity - chapter previews and summaries; and encouragement for the reader to think for themselves about the best research methods that are suited to their research project This is a clear and inspiring book. It is a must for both undergraduates and postgraduate researchers embarking on, or already involved in, a research project across the social sciences.