Methods from the Trenches

This is the first accessible, practical guide to the challenges of social science research methodology.Methods from the Trenches fills a notable gap in the existing literature on research methods in the social sciences. While the methods literature is indeed large, it is rare for authors to discuss the practical issues and challenges they confronted in the course of their research projects. As a result, as Eszter Hargittai argues, each new cohort is effectively forced to reinvent the wheel, making mistakes that previous generations have already confronted and resolved. This collection of essays sets out to address this failing by supplying new researchers with the kind of detailed practical information which can make or break a given project. Written in an informal, accessible, and engaging manner by a group of prominent junior scholars, many of whom are involved in ground-breaking research in online contexts, this collection promises to be a valuable tool for graduate students and educators across the social sciences.