Introduction - themes, issues and methods in research training, Peter Burnham. Part 1 The social organization of the research process: investigation methodologies - a comparison of MA and PhD research processes, Jonathan Gorry; beginning research - the first year, Carla Koen; research design - a rough guide, Vered Bartov; the second year and how to survive it, Ed Page; changing locations, supervisors and stragegies, Ray Kiely; the student-supervisor relationship, Nick Robinson; on being a teaching assistant, John Williams; juggling a full-time academic post and a PhD, Nisha Tedesco. Part 2 Methods and procedures in qualitative research: the practice of political theory, Chris Woodard; combining disciplines - how to build a good enough bridge, Steven R. Smith; border crossings - opportunities and challenges in comparative research, Michael O'Neill; on the record - an introduction to interviewing, Gail Steward; using archives in political research, Rhiannon Vickers; breaking free through the use of unusual source, Stephen Day; surviving the viva, Peter Burnham.