The Practice of Social Research

by Babbie, Earl R.

• ISBN13: 9780534574918
• ISBN10: 0534574912
• Edition: 9th
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-07-01
• Publisher: Cengage Learning

Summary

This thorough revision of Babbie's standard-setting book for the course offers students a comprehensive, straightforward introduction to the field of research methods as practiced by sociologists and other social scientists. Emphasizing the importance of the research process, the book shows students how social scientists design research studies, introduces the variety of observation modes used by sociologists, and covers the "how-tos" and "whys" of social research methods. Students learn how to conduct various types of research, when it is appropriate to use each method, and how to analyze qualitative and quantitative data using the Elaboration Model. The 10th edition provides students with the necessary tools for understanding social research methods and for applying these concepts both inside and outside the classroom--as researchers and as consumers of research. Retaining the authoritative coverage of the research process that has made the book a best-seller, the new edition is more student-friendly than ever. The new edition features a completely new chapter on reading and writing social research, a streamlined organization, a new running glossary, and a new Research Writing and Chapter Tutorial CD-ROM that not only helps students every step of the way in writing research papers, but also links to chapter by chapter online tutorials that will help them master the concepts and techniques of the course.

Table of Contents

Preface	xvi
Holographic Overview	1	(13)
PART 1 An Introduction to Inquiry	14	(74)
Human Inquiry and Science	16	(25)
Paradigms, Theory, and Social Research	41	(27)
The Idea of Causation in Social Research	68	(20)
PART 2 The Structure of Inquiry	88	(126)
Research Design	90	(28)
Conceptualization, Operationalization, and Measurement	118	(30)
Indexes, Scales, and Typologies	148	(27)
The Logic of Sampling	175	(39)
PART 3 Modes of Observation	214	(142)
Experiments	216	(21)
Survey Research	237	(37)
Qualitative Field Research	274	(29)
Unobstrusive Measures	303	(28)
Evaluation Research	331	(25)
PART 4 Analysis of Data	356	(110)
Qualitative Data Analysis	358	(25)
Quantifying Data	383	(13)
Elementary Quantitative Analyses	396	(20)
The Elaboration Model	416	(18)
Social Statistics	434	(32)
PART 5 The Social Context of Research	466
The Ethics and Politics of Social Research	468
The Uses of Social Research	490
Appendixes	A1
A Using the Library	A2
B Social Research in Cyberspace	A8
C The Research Report	A16
D GSS Household Enumeration Questionnaire	A23
E Random Numbers	A33
F Distribution of Chi Square	A35
G Normal Curve Areas	A37
H Estimated Sampling Error	A38
I A Learner's Guide to SPSS 8.0	A46
J Twenty Questions a Journalist Should Ask about Poll Results	A75