This introductory text combines study skills and research methods to provide students with an invaluable guide to the techniques, practical skills and methods of study that will enable them to achieve success in their academic courses and become effective 'students of society'. It covers key topics such as: asking questions – how to formulate questions and think about essay and exam questions looking for answers – the strengths and limitations of different information sources collecting and organizing information – how to get the best from indexes, contents pages and electronic search engines evaluating the authority, currency and validity of the information collected communicating through essays, reports and oral presentations.Throughout the book there is an emphasis on applying the problems and solutions presented, to ‘real world’ issues, including the use of examples and exercises immediately relevant to the undergraduate experience, everyday life and the contemporary concepts studied by the social scientist.Coherent and up-to-date, this text will be an invaluable learning tool for students of any discipline involving the study of human beings and their societies.