Introduction; Research for social policy and social work; Ethical conduct and research practice; Formulating research ideas and questions; Methodological issues and approaches; Quantitative research; Qualitative research; Dissemination, knowledge transfer and making an impact; Glossary; List of contributors: Pete Alcock - University of Birmingham, Charles Antaki - Loughborough University, Karl Ashworth - Office for National Statistics, Mary Baginsky - Children's Workforce Development Council, Matt Barnard - Head of Evaluation NSPCC, Sarah Banks - Durham University, Fiona Becker - NSPCC, Saul Becker - University of Nottingham, Peter Beresford - Brunel University, Nigel Bilsbrough - Loughborough University, Annette Boaz - Kings College London, Joanna Bornat - The Open University, Jonathan Bradshaw - University of York, John D. Brewer - University of Aberdeen, Alan Bryman - Leicester University, Emma Carmel - University of Bath, Patrick Carmichael - Liverpool John Moores University, Anne Corden - University of York, Louise Corti - University of Essex, Gary Craig - University of Durham, Duncan Cramer - Loughborough University, Christopher Day - University of Nottingham, David Deacon - Loughborough University, David de Vaus - University of Queensland Australia, Mary Dixon-Woods - University of Leicester, Harry Ferguson - University of Nottingham, Ben Fincham - University of Sussex, Jerry Floersch - Rutgers University School of Social Work New Jersey USA, Lynn Froggett - University of Central Lancashire, Rachel Fyson - University of Nottingham, Graham R. Gibbs - University of Huddersfield, David Gordon - University of Bristol, Hilary Graham - University of York, Martyn Hammersley - The Open University, Mark Hardy - University of York, Alexa Hepburn - Loughborough University, Michael Hirst - University of York, Lesley Hoggart - University of Greenwich, Lisa Holmes - Loughborough University, Sally Holland - Cardiff University, Annie Irvine - University of York, Stephen Joseph - University of Nottingham, Savita Katbamna - University of Leicester, Ravi KS Kohli - University of Bedfordshire, Jane Lewis - London School of Economics & Political Science, Pranee Liamputtong - La Trobe University Australia, Jeffrey Longhofer - Rutgers University of School of Social Work New Jersey USA, Clare Madge - University of Leicester, Reima Ana Maglajlic - Swansea University, Nicholas Mays - London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Stephen McKay - University of Birmingham, Bren Neale - University of Leeds, Carolyn Noble - Victoria University Melbourne Australia, Henrietta O'Connor - University of Leicester, Stewart Page - University of Windsor Canada, Jan Pahl - University of Kent, Alison Park - National Centre for Social Research, Elizabeth Peel - Aston University, Cassandra Phoenix - University of Exeter, Robert Pinker - London School of Economics and Political Science, Jennie Popay - Lancaster University, Catherine Pope - University of Southampton, Jonathan Potter - Loughborough University, Stephen Potter - The Open University, Colin Robson - University of Huddersfield, Karen Rowlingson - University of Birmingham, Roy Sainsbury - University of York, Jonathan Scourfield - Cardiff University, Clive Seale - Queen Mary University of London, Joe Sempik - University of Nottingham, Elaine Sharland - University of Sussex, Ian F Shaw - University of York, Janet Smithson - University of Exeter, William Solesbury - ESRC UK Centre for Evidence Based Policy, Bruce Stafford - University of Nottingham, Patricia Thomson - University of Nottingham, Peter Townsend - formerly University of Bristol, Harriet Ward - Loughborough University, Samantha Warren - University of Essex, David Westlake - Loughborough University, Sue White - University of Birmingham, Sharon Witherspoon - The Nuffield Foundation, Ruth Wodak - Lancaster University