This book is designed to introduce doctoral and graduate students to the process of conducting scientific research in the social sciences, business, education, public health, and related disciplines. It is a one-stop, comprehensive, and compact source for foundational concepts in behavioral research, and can serve as a stand-alone text or as a supplement to research readings in any doctoral seminar or research methods class. This book is currently used as a research text at universities on six continents and will shortly be available in nine different languages.

"Notes for further reading": pages 180-182.

A significant contribution to the development of social theory which provides a comprehensive summary of the various traditions. Barnes offers an accessible introduction for undergraduates which presents his own arguments along the way.; It is intended that this work will be adopted on undergraduate and postgraduate courses on social theory within social and political science. It will also appeal to students of social psychology, social anthropology and social geography.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1875.