Martin Davies is Professor Emeritus at the University of East Anglia, UK. He has extensive social science research experience, having held research posts in the Home Office, the National Health Service and the Universities of Manchester and East Anglia, where he supervised the research dissertations of more than 750 graduate and undergraduate students.

 
Nathan Hughes is Director of Education and Senior Lecturer in Social Policy and Social Work at the Institute of Applied Social Studies, University of Birmingham, UK.

Carrying out a research project is a daunting task, presenting you with deadline anxieties, unfamiliar language and practical dilemmas. This book is a straightforward, user-friendly guide on how to manage your research project successfully - akin to having a tutor at your side.

Doing a Successful Research Project:

• offers an accessible introduction to qualitative and quantitative methods
• takes you through the entire research process from planning to write-up
• includes extensive real-life examples of good and bad research practice

The second edition of this no-nonsense textbook, containing further discussion of internet-based research methods, research ethics and more, provides students with the self-discipline and the confidence to conduct their own research projects, whatever discipline they are from, and also the understanding required to identify the advantages and disadvantages of different strategies.

"This book contains all the advice a student needs to design a hands-on methods project, to reflect on the process and to acquire transferable skills for the future." - Ann Taylor, Lecturer in Sociology, University of Newcastle NSW, Australia
 
"This is an excellent guide for undergraduate students conducting research projects in the social sciences. It addresses many of the issues that students encounter and offers excellent practical advice. It is the best text on this topic I have seen." – Patrick White, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, University of Leicester, UK

"Clearly-written and well-organized, this book is an excellent, introductory text covering a broad scope of research methods for beginning students." – Gerardo Marti, L. Richardson King Associate Professor of Sociology, Davidson College, USA

PART I: PLANNING YOUR RESEARCH PROJECT
1. So You're Going to do a Research Project
2. Let's Make a Start
3. Preparing for a Successful Research Project
PART II: QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH 
4. The Principles of Sampling 
5. Carrying Out Your Survey 
6. Questionnaires
7. The Art and Science of Survey Interviewing 
8. Analysing Your Survey Data 
9. Testing for Statistical Significance: Into More Complex Territory 
10. A Quantitative Researcher's Briefing Sheet
PART III: QUALITATIVE RESEARCH 
11. Studying a Small Sample
12. Qualitative Research Reviewing 
13. There is More to Qualitative Research than Interviewing 
14. Analysing Qualitative Data
15. A Qualitative Researcher's Briefing Sheet
PART IV: THE LAST LAP 
16. Writing Your Report
Bibliography
Index