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.

Introduction
Particular Features of the Book
Structure and Outline of the Book
Chapter 1 Types of Research and the Research Problem: Beginning Your Project
Chapter 2 Research Theory and the Nature of Knowledge: Understanding Philosophies and Approaches
Chapter 3 Using Language and Understanding Arguments
Chapter 4 Finding, Organising and Retrieving Information
Chapter 5 Doing Your Literature Review, Forming Original Ideas and Defining Your Research Topic
Chapter 6 Honesty and Research Ethics: Establishing an Ethical Code
Chapter 7 Research Methods: Choosing the Best Methods for Your Project
Chapter 8 The Research Proposal: Planning and Structuring Your Ideas
Chapter 9 Writing Strategies: Getting Started and Maintaining Momentum Throughout Your Project