Book excerpt: This updated comprehensive guide to psychiatric research methods takes the reader from getting started in research through to publishing a paper, with advice on avoiding common pitfalls along the way. Systematic analysis and meta-analysis, epidemiology, qualitative research, and research focused on a few patients are discussed, together with the principles of validity and reliability in the assessment of psychological variables and statistical aspects of the design and analysis of clinical trials. Five completely new chapters cover topics such as research from the trainee's perspective and research in learning disability and child and adolescent psychiatry. A key text for psychiatric trainees embarking on research projects, this book will also be useful to psychiatrists supervising research projects, and those in the social sciences with an interest in carrying out research or critically reviewing the published evidence. Topics covered include setting up a research project, how to make a comprehensive review of the literature, choosing a rating scale, and getting research published.