Gopal Krishan is Professor Emeritus, Panjab University, Chandigarh, and National Fellow, Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), New Delhi, India. He has been Professor of Regional Planning at the National Institute of Urban Affairs, New Delhi, and Senior Professor and Principal Adviser at the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development, Chandigarh. He has also been President, National Association of Geographers, India, New Delhi; Institute of Indian Geographers, Pune; and Indian National Cartographic Association, Hyderabad. He was conferred the degree of Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) by the University of P Hungary. Nina Singh is Professor of Geography, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana, India. She has more than three decades of teaching and research experience at the university level. She specialises in research methodology in geography. Among her several publications is the widely read and acclaimed book Administration and Development in Indian States (1998).

• Preface Part I Laying the Foundation 1. What is Geographic Perspective? 2. Essential Features of a Quality Thesis in Geography Part II Prefatory Phase: The Prelims 3. Issues Pertinent to a Thesis in Geography 4. Research Proposal: Issues and Formulation 5. Literature Search and Review Part III Traversing the Path: Data Management 6. Typology of Data 7. Data Collection 8. Data Analysis 9. Data Representation 10. Data Interpretation  Part IV Catching Up with the Destination: The Finale 11. Research Writing 12. The Viva Voce References Subject Index