Basic research methods in social science Basic research methods in social science.
Notes:
Originally published: Basic research methods in social science. 3rd ed. New York : Random House, 1985. With a new introd. Includes bibliographical references and index. Originally published: Basic research methods in social science. 3rd ed. New York : Random House, 1985. With a new introd.
Contents:
1. Introduction -- pt. 1. The Process of Social-Science Research -- 2. The Language of Research: Definitions and Validity -- 3. Basic Concepts of Research -- 4. Types of Empirical Research -- 5. Theory, Model, Hypothesis, and Empirical Research -- 6. Choosing Appropriate Proxies for Theoretical Variables -- pt. 2. Research Decisions and Procedures -- 7. The Steps in an Empirical Research Study -- 8. How to Assess the Potential Value of Research Projects -- 9. Sampling -- 10. Experiments: Pro, Con, and How to Do Them -- 11. Designing Experiments -- 12. Non-Experimental Designs for Studying Relationships -- 13. Surveys: Pro, Con, and How to Do Them -- 14. Some Other Qualitative and Quantitative Techniques -- 15. Classifying, Measuring, and Scaling -- 16. Scaling Human Responses -- 17. Data Handling, Adjusting, and Summarizing -- pt. 3. The Obstacles to Social-Science Knowledge and Ways to Overcome Them -- 18. The Concept of Obstacles in the Search for Empirical Knowledge -- 19. Obstacles Created by the Humanness of the Observer: Appendix on Interviewing -- 20. Complexilities and Intractability of the Human Mind: Appendix on Questionnaire Construction -- 21. Obstacles to Obtaining Adequate Subject Matter -- 22. Obstacles to the Study of Changes Over Time -- 23. Obstacles to the Search for Causal Relationships -- 24. The Master Obstacle: Cost -- pt. 4. Extracting the Meaning of Data -- 25. Analysis of Simple Data: Association and Regression -- 26. Searching for Relationships: Analysis of Complex Data -- 27. Inferential Statistics: Introduction -- 28. Probability and Hypothesis Testing by the Monte Carlo Method -- 29. Hypothesis Testing with Measured Data -- 30. Correlation and Other Statistical Issues -- 31. How Big a Sample? -- 32. The Concept of Causality in Social Science, with Notes on Prediction, Law, Explanation, and Function -- pt. 5. Epilogue -- 33. The Nature, Powers, and Limits of Social Science.
Summary:
A textbook on the basics of social-scientific research. It discusses all the important empirical methods used in social science, and its examples are drawn from a wide variety of academic and applied fields, illustrating the use of each method in its appropriate context.
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.