This unit introduces students to the world of social research. It answers questions about how to produce knowledge through empirical research, and discusses the methods used to solve practical problems. The unit covers a wide range of social research methodologies and approaches, and the tools of interdisciplinary research, and illustrates how these can be used to address specific, real-world problems. The unit enables students to cross traditional disciplinary boundaries, developing their learning and understanding from case studies and research experiences. It includes an introduction to interdisciplinary social research, how to search literature and establish a research question, select appropriate methods for investigation, collect and analyse data, draw conclusions from research findings and present results. The unit will allow students to discuss approaches to conducting research outside of their fields, as well as introduce methods used in core, disciplinary areas of study. These include health, education, business, sociology, criminology, government,
police studies, media, geography and psychology. The unit will provide a foundation for studying further research approaches in different disciplines.