This book is the longest standing and most widely adopted text in the field of social work research and evaluation. Since the first edition in 1981, it has been designed to provide beginning social work students the basic methodological foundation they need in order to successfully completemore advanced research courses that focus on single-system designs or program evaluations. Its content is explained in extraordinarily clear everyday language which is then illustrated with social work examples that social work students not only can understand, but appreciate as well. Many of theexamples concern women and minorities, and special emphasis is given to the application of research methods to the study of these groups. Without a doubt, the major strength of this book is that it is written by social workers for social work students. The editors have once again secured anexcellent and diverse group of social work research educators. The 31 contributors know firsthand, from their own extensive teaching and practice experiences, what social work students need to know in relation to research. They have subjected themselves to a discipline totally uncommon incompendia-that is, writing in terms of what is most needed for an integrated basic research methods book, rather than writing in line with their own predilections.