This highly accessible book provides a basic introduction to the nature of research questions and methods of empirical research in political science. It describes the cooperative process, as well as the logic of empirical measurement and analysis of observations, in the conception and pursuit of a research project. Emphasizing the design of interesting research questions and basic problems of measurement and data analysis, the book relies more on intuitive understanding than on formal development. Chapter topics cover political theories and research topics, the importance of dimensional thinking, problems of measurement: accuracy and precision, causal thinking and the design of research, selecting what observations to study, and an introduction to statistics. For individuals interested in political science and research methods.