Social Science Research

Written with much wry humor, the book-which is filled with practical advice, from how to treat sources, to why correct referencing is important-will be as enjoyable for an experienced researcher as it is for a neophyte. Read this book.  Recommend it to your students, your colleagues, and your professors. Hats off to Barbara Czarniawska. -- Dvora Yanow
Social Science Research from Field to Desk is a goldmine of deep yet practical insights into the craft of doing high-quality field research. The book covers all relevant aspects of the research process, from study design over observation and interviewing to good academic writing. Barbara Czarniawska is a particularly trustworthy guide, because she so clearly practices what she preaches, drawing on decades of highly successful social-science field studies of her own. This is a must-read for new and seasoned field researchers alike.
-- Bent Flyvbjerg
Barbara Czarniawski provides us in this work with a timely and comprehensive look at a wide variety of qualitative methods currently in play across the social sciences. This is no dull and dry normative tome flattening out the field but a lively, reflexive account of a variety of methodological approaches, some tried and true, some quirky and innovative. All are wonderfully illustrated by exemplary work, much of it drawn from Professor Czarniawski’s prolific and influential writings. A thoughtful and creative methodological mapping of equal value to the novice and the veteran researcher both in and out of academic communities and a must read for those interested in what is going on at the edges of disciplinary and cross-disciplinary work in social science.
-- John Van Maanen
Drawing on her vast experience of ethnographic research, Barbara Czarniawska offers a brilliant guide to the beginning researcher
-- David Silverman
The book shares a lot of her author’s personal experience striving to illustrate the expressed ideas and concepts... it presents multi-cultural experience in conducting field studies and writing up academic publications.  It will be useful for students, scholars and readers interested in social sciences, humanities, economics, literature, etc.  -- Stanislava Stoyanova