Skip to main content Accessibility help
Internet Explorer 11 is being discontinued by Microsoft in August 2021. If you have difficulties viewing the site on Internet Explorer 11 we recommend using a different browser such as Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Apple Safari or Mozilla Firefox.

We are experiencing issues with the responsiveness of Cambridge Core and the Cambridge Aspire website. Users may experience website error pages or timeout error pages. Our teams are working to resolve the issues. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Home
> Subjects
> Empirical Research and Writing

Empirical Research and Writing A Political Science Student's Practical Guide

Coming soon in February 2026

Authors
Published 2026

Description

Empirical research papers are a mix of technical skill and unwritten insider information. Providing practical guidance on how to design, analyze, and write about research, this engaging second edition is fully updated with expanded coverage of finding and using data, a topical running example, and new appendices introducing quantitative analysis techniques. It covers everything from crafting a question, theory, and hypotheses to choosing a research design, acquiring and analyzing data, drafting, peer review, and presenting your work. Practical strategies are…

  • Add bookmark
  • Cite
  • Share

Key features

  • Engaging, accessible style with explicit guidance for each research stage on both the ethics of that stage and how to write about doing that stage
  • Every chapter features Talking Tips which explicitly provide models for talking about specific research tasks, as well as a range of templates. Gradually introduces technical language and professional-style expressions in a progressive manner
  • Intuitive presentation, conveying the core insights with no (or limited) mathematics to increase student confidence
  • Accessible to all social science students; minimal content knowledge is required to understand the core concepts
  • Improves student access to support resources by providing them with frames and prompts for seeking support

About the book