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Synopsis Research methodology, as introduced in this book, is a means to understand the ways in which social science research produces multiple accounts of the world. Further, methodology specifies how the researcher may go about practically studying whatever he or she believes can be known. Social research methodology is contextual-lised within a comprehensive discus-sion of epistemology and ontology. The different paradigms current in the social sciences (positivist, interpretative and constructionist) are presen-ted and illustrated descriptively. The book shows students how to assess the contexts within which different research methods may be used and how they should be implemented. It covers both quantitative and qualitative research and examines the significance of this very distinction. In addition to giving a thorough introduction to the practices of social research, the book relates issues of research method to wider issues within the social science field such as the links between theoretical traditions and their research approach.