Briony J Oates was Professor of Inquiry Methods in the School of Computing at Teesside University in the UK. Her research interests ranged widely, from digital art to IT systems project failures to evidence-based practice in information systems and software engineering.

She was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship in recognition of her pioneering work in the teaching of research methods to computing and information systems students. She has developed and taught many modules in research methods for both undergraduates and postgraduates. She has supervised numerous masters dissertations, been the Director of Studies for a large number of PhD students, and been the external examiner for many doctoral theses.

She has now retired and moved to the Outer Hebrides. She retains an interest in research methods and how they are taught in information systems and computing, but now enjoys spending most of her time on artistic and outdoor pursuits.

Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 The Purpose and Products of Research
Chapter 3 Overview of the Research Process
Chapter 4 The Digital Researcher
Chapter 5 Participants and Research Ethics
Chapter 6 Reviewing the Literature
Chapter 7 Surveys
Chapter 8 Design and Creation
Chapter 9 Experiments
Chapter 10 Case Studies
Chapter 11 Action Research
Chapter 12 Ethnography
Chapter 13 Interviews
Chapter 14 Observations
Chapter 15 Questionnaires
Chapter 16 Documents
Chapter 17 Quantitative Data Analysis
Chapter 18 Qualitative Data Analysis
Chapter 19 Philosophical Paradigms - Positivism
Chapter 20 Alternative Philosophical Paradigms
Chapter 21 Presentation of the Research