Professor Gerry Stoker is Professor of Governance within Social Sciences: Politics & International Relations at the University of Southampton.Mark Evans is the Director and Professor of Governance at the Institute for Governance and Policy Analysis at the University of Canberra, Australia. He has authored, co-authored or edited 25 books in the fields of governance and policy analysis and has been the editor of the international journal Policy Studies since 2005.

• Introduction: Gerry Stoker and Mark EvansPart 1: Making choices;Linking evidence and policy making ~ Mark Evans and Gerry Stoker;Choosing your technique: A guide for policy makers ~ Gerry Stoker and Mark Evans;Part 2: Tools for smarter learning;Systematic reviews ~ David Gough;Randomised controlled trials and experiments ~ Peter John;Adapting qualitative comparative analysis for policy ~ Matt Ryan;Storytelling and the art of Judgement ~ Vivien Lowndes;‘Visualising’ Policy Options for Stakeholders ~ Leonie Pearson and Lain Dare;Part 3: Developing data mining;Big data ~ Patrick Dunleavy and Mike Jensen;Cluster analysis, statistical analysis and policy ~ Jinjing Li;Microsimulation and policy analysis ~ Robert Tanton and Ben Philipps;Part 4: Bringing citizens back in;Citizen science and policy making ~ Liz Richardson;Deliberative tools and evaluation ~ John Dryzek;Design thinking and public policy reform ~ Mark Evans and Nina Terrey;Conclusion ~ Gerry Stoker and Mark Evans.

"This valuable book highlights the potential contribution of a wide range of social science research methods to policy making, and outlines suggestions for improving the research input into the policy process." Hugh Bochel, University of Lincoln "An accessible and informative collection, providing invaluable practical guidance, which highlights the central importance of social science to public policy." Tony Manzi, University of Westminster