Questions and answers

The aim of this section is for you to identify and try to answer puzzles, especially methodological ones, in health services research and policy. Readers are invited both to submit questions that they think will be of general interest or which are particularly topical, and to offer answers to questions. Questions can be ones that you feel have not been satisfactorily answered in the existing literature, ones which relate to ‘self-evident’ definitions that need to be made problematic, or paradoxes. New questions for which we are seeking answers for the next issue of the journal appear below. We still welcome answers to previously posed questions. Answers can be up to 200 words in length and should strive for elegance. If more than one, similar, answer is provided, the criterion of choice for publication will be wit and originality. In order to try to publish answers, as far as possible, in the issue following the published question, we would like your answers by 10 January 2005. Nonetheless, we would be interested in contributions received after that date as well. Please send your answers and questions to: Gillian Parker, School of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK. Email: gillian.parker@nottingham.ac.uk. Fax: +44 (0)116 252 5423.