Political Research: Methods and Practical Skills

by Sandra Halperin, Oliver Heath

Political 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
- 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
- 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

Genres: Politics, Textbooks, Political Science

488 pages, Paperback

First published March 24, 2012

Reviews

[Kjell · Rating 3 out of 5]

It does what it is supposed to do. When you are trying to learn about scientific research this book will help you get started. I found the part on textual analysis rather unsatisfactory, but it might help those who are new to this kind of research.

[Rain · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent text, a very thorough and structured introduction to the principles of qualitative research, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It took away the wishy-washiness that I was afraid qualitative methods would be characterized by, for a technically rigorous guideline to designing a qualitative research study which was not only practically useful but also intellectually satisfying. I believe this will continue to be a go-to reference text which I turn to for a long time to come.