Nicholas Walliman is a qualified architect and Senior Lecturer in the School of the Built Environment at Oxford Brookes University and a researcher associate in the Oxford Institute for Sustainable Development. After many years of practice in architecture in the UK and abroad, he returned to academic life to do his PhD. This experience raised his interest in research theory and methods, and he was subsequently asked by the university to write a distance learning course to guide postgraduate students embarking on research degrees. This course provided the raw material and incentive for writing this book. He has subsequently published several other books on research theory and methods for students and practitioners at various levels of expertise.
He is currently conducting research with a team of architects and environmental scientists as part of the Oxford Brookes Institute for Sustainable Development. They are engaged in nationally and internationally funded projects on a range of aspects of building technology, such as energy saving building envelope design, mitigation of the effects of floods on buildings and advanced construction methods. He has published numerous research papers on aspects of architectural technology. He is also supervising several PhD and Masters students. Despite this emphasis on science and technology, his work with research students covers many other aspects of architecture and its relationship to society, such as vernacular architecture, the effects of westernisation, architectural education, conservation, administration and sustainable design.

PART ONE: PLANNING AND DESIGNING YOUR RESEARCH
Chapter 1: Theoretical background
Chapter 2: Research basics
Chapter 3: Research strategies and design
Chapter 4: The nature of data
Chapter 5: Doing a literature review
Chapter 6: Defining the research problem
Chapter 7: Ethics
Chapter 8: Writing a research proposal
PART TWO: COLLECTING AND ANALYSING YOUR DATA
Chapter 9: Sampling
Chapter 10: Data collection methods
Chapter 11: Quantitative data analysis
Chapter 12: Qualitative data analysis
PART THREE: WRITING UP YOUR RESEARCH
Chapter 13: Presenting Data Graphically
Chapter 14: Writing up a dissertation or research project
PART FOUR: SUCCEEDING IN YOUR RESEARCH METHODS COURSE
Chapter 15: How to get the most out of your lectures and seminars
Chapter 16: How to Get the Best out of Reading and Note Taking
Chapter 17: How to Write Great Essays

Nicholas Walliman is the supervisor in your students' pockets, making sure they understand all the essential methods for successfully carrying out a research project and negotiating the challenges and pitfalls. In this book, he:

· Takes students step-by-step through the research process

· Helps them formulate clear aims and objectives

· Explains all the vocabulary to understand the A - Z of research methods

· Ends each chapter with a reading guide for taking learning further with more resources to help get a deeper understanding of the issues discussed

· Improves research reports with practical advice on presenting findings in great tables, graphs and diagrams

· Opens his office door with reflective questions (and answers)

· Delivers the confidence to get started and get finished!

 Social Research Methods: The Essentials is the perfect starting point and guide for your students' research project.