This book has emerged from our teaching of research to social work students, mostly undergraduates, of whom many regard research with the proverbial fear and loathing and as an unnecessary diversion from their study of ‘real social work’. Hence, the approach taken here heavily emphasizes the importance of research for social work as another way of achieving the emancipatory aims that we espouse as a profession. The conceptual approach and many of the exercises have been used in our classes with some success. The beginnings of this book rest in the print study materials (Social Work Practice Research A: Study Guide and Reader, © Deakin University) that are used in our teaching of social work research to undergraduate students.