Healthy societies can only be built on a realistic understanding of people and their world. The call for African solutions to the continent’s problems demands an innovative pool of knowledgeable and skilled social researchers.

Fundamentals of Social Research Methods: An African Perspective draws examples from a broad spectrum of fields including agriculture, public health, social welfare, community development and regional planning. The material is compatible with social science methods courses in sociology, economics, political science, psychology and education.

• The different methods of acquiring knowledge
• The scientific method applied to social reality
• Research ethics
• Problem conception and background information
• The types of research
• Research questions and variables
• Participatory and action research
• Research and community development
• Project monitoring and evaluation
• Research planning and design
• Sampling
• Data collection: Basic concepts and techniques