`With this book David de Vaus has written one of the best general research methods textbooks around. The use of different types of research design as the point of departure is a different and very helpful approach to take, especially since many textbooks confuse issues of method and design. The author outlines with great clarity a wide variety of issues, including testing theories, causation, data analysis, and the main considerations involved in using the different research designs covere...

David de Vaus' classic text Surveys in Social Research provides clear advice on how to plan, conduct and analyse social surveys. It emphasises the links between theory and research, the logic and interpretation of statistics and the practices of social research. This sixth edition has been completely revised and updated, and contains new examples, data and extensive lists of web resources.As well as explaining how to conduct good surveys, de Vaus shows how to become a crit...