Praise for the first edition of Research into Practice and Research Methods for Nurses and the Caring Professions: These books provide a good introduction for the uninitiated to reading and doing research. Abbott and Sapsford provide a clearly written and accessible introduction to social research ... One of their aims is to 'de-mystify' research, and in this they succeed admirably... After reading the text and the articles in the reader, and working through the various research exercises, readers should have a clear appreciation of how to evaluate other people's research and how to begin their own. -David Field, Journal of Palliative Medicine This book, now substantially revised in its second edition, is about the appreciation, evaluation and conduct of social research. Aimed at nurses, social workers, community workers and others in the caring professions, the book is particularly focused on research which evaluates and contributes to professional practice. The authors have provided many short, practical exercises in the text, and the examples are drawn mostly from projects carried out by one or two people rather than large research teams. The clear, accessible style will make this the ideal introductory text for those undertaking or studying research for the first time. The book may be used in conjunction with Research into Practice (Open University Press), a reader of useful examples selected by the same authors.