Earlier editions published under the title: How it's done: an invitation to social research. Includes bibliographical references (pages 489-505) and index.
Contents:
The uses of social research. Introduction ; Research versus other ways of knowing ; The uses and purposes of social research -- Theory and research. The relationship between theory and research ; Focal research excerpt from "Moving on? Continuity and change after retirement" : role theory ; Focal research excerpt from "Unmasking racism : Halloween costuming and engagement of the racial other" -- Ethics and social research. Focal research ethical concerns and researcher responsibilities in studying women with HIV/AIDS ; Principles for doing ethical research ; Ethical dilemmas during and after data collection ; Ethics and publishing results ; Making decisions to maximize benefit and maximize risk -- Selecting researchable topics and questions. Focal research studying women's lives : family focus in the thirties ; Sources of research questions ; Developing a researchable question -- Sampling. Focal research calling cell phones in '08 pre-election polls ; Sources of error associated with sampling ; Types of probability sampling ; Types of nonprobability sampling ; Choosing a sampling technique -- Measurement. Conceptualization ; Operationalization ; Focal research impostor tendencies and academic dishonesty ; Quality of measurement ; Level of measurement -- Cross-sectional, longitudinal, and case study designs. Study design choices ; Focal research moving on : continuity and change after retirement -- Experimental research. Experimental designs ; Focal research student learning : a field experiment in classroom ; Comparing experiments to other designs -- Questionnaires and structured interviews. Focal research environmentalism among college students : a sociological investigation ; The uses of questionnaires and interviews ; Participant involvement ; self-administered questionnaires ; Interviews ; Constructing questions -- Qualitative interviewing. Qualitative versus structured interviews ; Focal research managing motherhood in prison ; Variations in qualitative interviews ; Issues of validity and practicality ; Locating respondents and presenting the project ; Planning the interview ; Conducting the interview ; After the interview is over -- Observational technique. Focal research unmasking racism : Halloween costuming and engagement of the racial other ; Observational techniques defined ; Reasons for doing observations ; Observer roles ; Getting ready for observations ; Analyzing the data ; Advantages and disadvantages of observational techniques -- Using available data. Focal research comparing the context of immigrant homicides in Miami : Haitians, Jamaicans, and Mariels ; Kinds of available data ; Advantages and disadvantages of using available data -- Content analysis. Focal research reloading the canon : the timing of diversification in American literature anthologies ; Appropriate topics for content analysis ; Quantitative content analysis ; Sampling ; Creating meaningful variable ; Qualitative content analysis ; Visual analysis ; Advantages and disadvantages of content analysis -- Applied social research. Evaluation research ; Focal research a needs assessment of incarcerated women in Ecuador ; Participatory action research ; Final considerations -- Quantitative and Qualitative data analysis. Quantitative data analysis ; Qualitative data analysis -- Appendix. Comparing methods. Multiple methods ; Writing the research report ; Checklist for preparing a research proposal ; Random number table.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.