Norman Blaikie was Formerly Professor of Sociology at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) and Universiti Sains, Malaysia.

"Literature on the philosophy of social science often seems aloof from the practical wrangling over theoretical and methodological issues directing social research. Books attempting to bridge this gap are rare, so much credit is due Blaikie for providing one." Sociological Research Online"The repertoire of social research grows wider by the day. Substantive topics multiply, the technical apparatus mushrooms, paradigms proliferate and clash. And the potential for confusion in the beginner’s mind grows apace. Norman Blaikie’s Approaches to Social Enquiry has always been the most trustworthy student guide through the methodological quagmire, and this new edition confirms his reputation as the supreme explicator of social inquiry." Ray Pawson, University of Leeds "Norman Blaikie's book is an accessible, clear, and reliable introduction for the social research student to the extraordinarily complex set of issues and decisions in which the practicing researcher necessarily becomes entangled. This is an exceptional book, especially for its sympathetic presentation of positions and its wide range." Stephen Turner, University of South Florida

• List of Figures and TablesPreface to the First EditionPreface to the Second EditionINTRODUCTION1 MAJOR CHOICES IN SOCIAL ENQUIRYIntroductionResearch ProblemResearch QuestionsResearch StrategiesResearcher’s StanceResearch ParadigmsThe Status of KnowledgeResearch Paradigms and Research StrategiesChapter SummaryFurther Reading2 MAJOR DILEMMAS IN SOCIAL ENQUIRYIntroductionScience and Social ScienceMajor DilemmasThe Postmodern TurnChapter SummaryFurther Reading3 ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE USING FOUR RESEARCH STRATEGIESIntroductionStyles of ReasoningThe Inductive Research StrategyThe Deductive Research StrategyCombining the Inductive and Deductive StrategiesThe Abductive Research StrategyCombining Retroductive and Abductive StrategiesChapter SummaryFurther Reading4 CLASSICAL RESEARCH PARADIGMSIntroductionPositivismCritical RationalismClassical HermeneuticsInterpretivismChapter SummaryFurther Reading5 CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH PARADIGMSIntroductionCritical TheoryEthnomethodologySocial RealismContemporary HermeneuticsStructuration TheoryFeminismChapter SummaryFurther Reading6 REVIEW AND CRITIQUE OF THE RESEARCH PARADIGMSIntroductionResearch Paradigms Revisited: Ontology and EpistemologyCritique of the Research ParadigmsReview of Some Major DilemmasAssociation between Research Strategies Research ParadigmsConclusionFurther ReadingPOSTSCRIPT: THE COMPLEXITY TURNIntroductionOriginsCharacteristics of Complex SystemsKey IdeasThe Reality of the ComplexComplexity and PostmodernismComplexity and ResearchConclusionREFERENCESNotesFigures and Tables

Norman Blaikie was Formerly Professor of Sociology at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) and Universiti Sains, Malaysia.

"Literature on the philosophy of social science often seems aloof from the practical wrangling over theoretical and methodological issues directing social research. Books attempting to bridge this gap are rare, so much credit is due Blaikie for providing one." Sociological Research Online"The repertoire of social research grows wider by the day. Substantive topics multiply, the technical apparatus mushrooms, paradigms proliferate and clash. And the potential for confusion in the beginner’s mind grows apace. Norman Blaikie’s Approaches to Social Enquiry has always been the most trustworthy student guide through the methodological quagmire, and this new edition confirms his reputation as the supreme explicator of social inquiry." Ray Pawson, University of Leeds "Norman Blaikie's book is an accessible, clear, and reliable introduction for the social research student to the extraordinarily complex set of issues and decisions in which the practicing researcher necessarily becomes entangled. This is an exceptional book, especially for its sympathetic presentation of positions and its wide range." Stephen Turner, University of South Florida

• List of Figures and TablesPreface to the First EditionPreface to the Second EditionINTRODUCTION1 MAJOR CHOICES IN SOCIAL ENQUIRYIntroductionResearch ProblemResearch QuestionsResearch StrategiesResearcher’s StanceResearch ParadigmsThe Status of KnowledgeResearch Paradigms and Research StrategiesChapter SummaryFurther Reading2 MAJOR DILEMMAS IN SOCIAL ENQUIRYIntroductionScience and Social ScienceMajor DilemmasThe Postmodern TurnChapter SummaryFurther Reading3 ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE USING FOUR RESEARCH STRATEGIESIntroductionStyles of ReasoningThe Inductive Research StrategyThe Deductive Research StrategyCombining the Inductive and Deductive StrategiesThe Abductive Research StrategyCombining Retroductive and Abductive StrategiesChapter SummaryFurther Reading4 CLASSICAL RESEARCH PARADIGMSIntroductionPositivismCritical RationalismClassical HermeneuticsInterpretivismChapter SummaryFurther Reading5 CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH PARADIGMSIntroductionCritical TheoryEthnomethodologySocial RealismContemporary HermeneuticsStructuration TheoryFeminismChapter SummaryFurther Reading6 REVIEW AND CRITIQUE OF THE RESEARCH PARADIGMSIntroductionResearch Paradigms Revisited: Ontology and EpistemologyCritique of the Research ParadigmsReview of Some Major DilemmasAssociation between Research Strategies Research ParadigmsConclusionFurther ReadingPOSTSCRIPT: THE COMPLEXITY TURNIntroductionOriginsCharacteristics of Complex SystemsKey IdeasThe Reality of the ComplexComplexity and PostmodernismComplexity and ResearchConclusionREFERENCESNotesFigures and Tables

Norman Blaikie was Formerly Professor of Sociology at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) and Universiti Sains, Malaysia.

"Literature on the philosophy of social science often seems aloof from the practical wrangling over theoretical and methodological issues directing social research. Books attempting to bridge this gap are rare, so much credit is due Blaikie for providing one." Sociological Research Online"The repertoire of social research grows wider by the day. Substantive topics multiply, the technical apparatus mushrooms, paradigms proliferate and clash. And the potential for confusion in the beginner’s mind grows apace. Norman Blaikie’s Approaches to Social Enquiry has always been the most trustworthy student guide through the methodological quagmire, and this new edition confirms his reputation as the supreme explicator of social inquiry." Ray Pawson, University of Leeds "Norman Blaikie's book is an accessible, clear, and reliable introduction for the social research student to the extraordinarily complex set of issues and decisions in which the practicing researcher necessarily becomes entangled. This is an exceptional book, especially for its sympathetic presentation of positions and its wide range." Stephen Turner, University of South Florida

• List of Figures and TablesPreface to the First EditionPreface to the Second EditionINTRODUCTION1 MAJOR CHOICES IN SOCIAL ENQUIRYIntroductionResearch ProblemResearch QuestionsResearch StrategiesResearcher’s StanceResearch ParadigmsThe Status of KnowledgeResearch Paradigms and Research StrategiesChapter SummaryFurther Reading2 MAJOR DILEMMAS IN SOCIAL ENQUIRYIntroductionScience and Social ScienceMajor DilemmasThe Postmodern TurnChapter SummaryFurther Reading3 ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE USING FOUR RESEARCH STRATEGIESIntroductionStyles of ReasoningThe Inductive Research StrategyThe Deductive Research StrategyCombining the Inductive and Deductive StrategiesThe Abductive Research StrategyCombining Retroductive and Abductive StrategiesChapter SummaryFurther Reading4 CLASSICAL RESEARCH PARADIGMSIntroductionPositivismCritical RationalismClassical HermeneuticsInterpretivismChapter SummaryFurther Reading5 CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH PARADIGMSIntroductionCritical TheoryEthnomethodologySocial RealismContemporary HermeneuticsStructuration TheoryFeminismChapter SummaryFurther Reading6 REVIEW AND CRITIQUE OF THE RESEARCH PARADIGMSIntroductionResearch Paradigms Revisited: Ontology and EpistemologyCritique of the Research ParadigmsReview of Some Major DilemmasAssociation between Research Strategies Research ParadigmsConclusionFurther ReadingPOSTSCRIPT: THE COMPLEXITY TURNIntroductionOriginsCharacteristics of Complex SystemsKey IdeasThe Reality of the ComplexComplexity and PostmodernismComplexity and ResearchConclusionREFERENCESNotesFigures and Tables