
Political Research
Methods and Practical Skills
Oxford University Press
2nd Edition
Published on 15. December 2016
Book
Paperback/Softback
488 pages
978-0-19-870274-0 (ISBN)
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Description
Political Research: Methods and Practical Skills is the most comprehensive political research methods textbook available. Written especially for politics students, it provides a practical and relevant approach to the subject that equips students with the knowledge and skills needed to evaluate research findings and successfully carry out independent study and research.
Taking a helpful step-by-step approach, the authors guide the reader through the process of asking and answering research questions and the different methods used in political research, providing practical advice on how to be critical and rigorous in both evaluating and conducting research.
With an emphasis throughout on how research can impact important political questions and policy issues, Halperin and Heath equip readers with the skills to formulate significant questions and develop meaningful and persuasive answers.
An Online Resource Centre accompanies this text, and includes a range of resources for both students and lecturers.
For students:
- Learn from real examples of actual research to see what research proposals and literature reviews look like in practice
- Take your learning further with relevant web links to reliable online content related to each chapter.
For registered lecturers:
- Access additional case studies, complete with accompanying questions, for use in class or to assign as additional reading
- Reinforce key themes from each chapter with suggested seminar questions and activities
Taking a helpful step-by-step approach, the authors guide the reader through the process of asking and answering research questions and the different methods used in political research, providing practical advice on how to be critical and rigorous in both evaluating and conducting research.
With an emphasis throughout on how research can impact important political questions and policy issues, Halperin and Heath equip readers with the skills to formulate significant questions and develop meaningful and persuasive answers.
An Online Resource Centre accompanies this text, and includes a range of resources for both students and lecturers.
For students:
- Learn from real examples of actual research to see what research proposals and literature reviews look like in practice
- Take your learning further with relevant web links to reliable online content related to each chapter.
For registered lecturers:
- Access additional case studies, complete with accompanying questions, for use in class or to assign as additional reading
- Reinforce key themes from each chapter with suggested seminar questions and activities
Reviews / Votes
Review from previous edition The writing style and tone is exactly right... No other book on the market is comparable in terms of clarity and authority, detail and register - over even the commonest research techniques. * Dr Helen Brocklehurst, University of Derby * The biggest advantage of the book is the quality of its writing style. It actually demystifies the research process for students right from the start. The authors just really 'get it' when it comes to knowing how students are coming at this. * Dr Matthew Ryan, University of Southampton * Overall, this is a fantastic book, and it is refreshing to have a politics-specific book writing in a clear manner, especially without taking sides in the quantitative versus qualitative debate. * Dr Helen Williams, University of Nottingham *More details
Edition
2nd Revised edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Edition type
Revised edition
Dimensions
Height: 247 mm
Width: 191 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
935 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-870274-0 (9780198702740)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
New editions

Book
05/2025
4th Edition
Oxford University Press
€53.50
Available immediately
Persons
Author
Professor of International Relations, Royal Holloway, University of London
Senior Lecturer in Politics, Royal Holloway, University of London
Content
PART I:PHILOSOPHY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE: KNOWLEDGE AND KNOWING I N SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH; PART II: HOW TO DO RESEARCH: AN OVERVIEW; PART III: HOW TO DO RESEARCH IN PRACTICE