Introduction. 1. The Research Process. I. PREPARING TO DO RESEARCH. 2. Theory Building: Concepts & Hypotheses in Political Research. 3. Setting the Foundation: Techniques of Systematic Bibliographic Research. 4. From Abstract to Concrete: Operationalization & Measurement. 5. Working from a Plan: Considerations in Research Design. 6. Who, What, Where: The Problem of Sampling. II. DATA-GATHERING TECHNIQUES. 7. Survey Research. 8. Scaling Techniques. 9. Content Analysis. 10. Sources and Applications of Aggregate Data. 11. Crossing Borders: The Practice of Comparative Research. III. QUANTITATIVE DATA. 12. Data Preparation and Data Processing. 13. Describing the Data: The Construction of Tables, Charts, & Diagrams. 14. Statistics I: Summarizing Distribution on One Variable. 15. Statistics II: Examining Relationships between Two Variables. 16. Statistics III: Examining Relationships among Several Variables. 17. Mathematical Modeling. IV. QUALITATIVE METHODS. 18. Elite and Specialized Interviewing. 19. Direct Observation. 20. Focus Group Methodologies. V. CONCLUSION. 21. Writing (or Reading) the Research Report. 22. Overview. Appendix A: Statistical Tables. Appendix B: Ethical Considerations in Empirical Research. Glossary.