The social science research is a practical guide for beginner researchers that treats methodological problems they can face. Czarniawska presented an account of practical methodological approaches, various research methods and methodologies, and diversified case studies from a cross-disciplinary work. In this expert guide of 171 pages divided into fourteen chapters, the author could enclose research steps from planning and designing research to collecting and analyzing data, to writing up and disseminating findings. Each chapter is divided into sections illustrated with examples the thing that makes of it a coherent structure. What makes the textbook worthwhile for new researchers and students is the end of each chapter that offers an activity and a list for further readings. Some chapters are also enriched with further notes for more understanding. Outstandingly, all chapters in the book consider ethical aspects; an important feature a researcher should have, and many new scholars may ignore in research. In this, according to Czarniawska, doing research is making moral choices and always under time pressure. The author, with her long experience in teaching and in doing ethnographic research, could provide a rich and extensive list of references that ranges from 1913 to 2014 since she could collect a wide range of books and articles on research methods used in social sciences.

Thanks to this experience that the author could think of writing this simplified trust worthy guide for young scholars. Barbara wrote in her prologue: “what I hope to offer is a simple and pragmatic picture from beginning to end- of a research process that includes fieldwork”. In her overview, the author put focus on qualitative research more than quantitative methods although the reader can come across some quantitative illustrations when relevant they are.

All along the chapters, Czarniawska initiated her book by the three known questions a researcher should ask before getting started; that is the what? The why? and the How? to which she devoted her first chapter. The author, then, considered important steps in the research process focusing how to treat sources, importance of references, relevant research steps. In her second chapter, Barbara focused on how to review the literature. In upcoming chapters, she moved from study design to good academic writing.