The most frequently used technique is interviews (face-to-face, telephone, or focus groups). The text serves as a great base for building weekly assignments/readings for students. This book provides an introductory and broad review of some of the key topics in social science research including research theories, research design, data Reviewed by Tamara Falicov, Associate Professor, University of Kansas on 8/21/16, The book is divided into sixteen chapters, which seemed a bit intimidating at first. Since some concepts are discussed in more than one place, it might be difficult to identify a single reading for a specific topic one might need to assign several readings from more than one chapter. The concise The book is very consistent. There isn't a discussion of threats associated with the four types of validity. However, it is much more brief, more concise, than traditional research methods texts for undergraduates which the text does not claim to be. The content is accurate, error-free, and unbiased. One issue that I wonder if graduate students might prefer is if they are not already 13 chapters into a text/course and only then are they getting to a basic concept such as measures of central tendency. The study used mostly qualitative data collection methods including observation, taking field notes and I don't view that as a negative; I prefer having a textbook that gives a basic outline of essential concepts and then fleshing this out with supplemental readings, but some might prefer a textbook that goes into more depth. Chapters naturally flow from one another and are logical. It addresses the differences between scientific research and social science methods in a clear and concise manner. This text was not, however, viewed on a tablet or e-reader, which many students use for classes. Luckily, research methods do not change drastically in a short period of time, so I expect the longevity of this book to be very high. The chapters are well-organized. The relevance and longevity are strong. There are two main groups of research methods in the social sciences: The empirical-analytical group approaches the study of They will make it easy to select sections for assignment or reordering if revising for use. This is a wonderful open source option for a main text for a research methods course or as a supplementary option for a statistics course that also focuses on data collection. There are 5 issues in the document, 4 in tables, 5 in alternative text, etc. In addition, content within chapters is consistent, such as Dr. Bhattacherjees logical progression of concepts: empiricism, to positivism, to forms of analysis (qualitative and quantitative), etc. The overview of science, scientific research, and social science was welcomed and unique to this text. However, that also suggests that the arrangement and format remain predictable from the first page to the last, without any surprises in presentation or discourse. Overall, the content was consistent throughout the textbook. While the notes state it is intended for graduate coursework, I would have no problem teaching in my undergraduate courses. I LIKE THE FIGURE EXPLAINING RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY ON PAGE 55. I later realized that they are not necessarily very long chapters; it varies in terms of the topic. The chapter on Interpretive Research and Qual. There isn't a discussion of threats associated with the four types of validity. Method overloading, on the other hand, refers to differentiating the code used to handle a message based on the param This text is a nice overview of some of the key points in social science research. The chapter refers to mail surveys, which in 2021, are almost obsolete. I agree with another reviewer that the ethics portion seems like an appendix, rather than an essential and structural part of the book. While the content covered is detailed, a more critical introduction of the concepts as being situated in the obtained scores as opposed to the instrument itself would have made the chapter stronger. The prose is accessible and each chapter proceeds methodically. This is because big I do not see any issues with consistency. Reviewed by Anika Leithner, Associate Professor, California Polytechnic State University on 7/15/14, This text certainly covers all the basic concepts and processes I would expect to find in an introduction to social sciences research. The content covered is pretty standard and basic and so not likely to be out-dated soon. There are a few minor grammatical errors in the 2nd edition, 2012. Given the nature of research method that does not change drastically, content is up-to-date and wont make the text obsolete within a short period of time. The text has been written from the point of view of a non-expert. There is not a discussion of how different research types are affected by different types and threats of research validity. There were no problems with syntax, grammar, spelling that I came across, except for a minor typo in chapter 9 in the table of contents. It focuses on fundamental research methods as well as incorporates current research approaches. The book overall shies away from delving into approaches and methods in non-empirical research in the social sciences. His 2001 MIS Quarterly paper is credited with starting a new stream of research on technology continuance. There is a lack of specific examples that might lend a sense of wide scope / global appeal to the textbook, and create an inclusive atmosphere for a reader/student. It lays a sufficient foundation, with room and expectation for the professor to supplement with additional materials. This can be supplemented easily enough, but the omission seems odd. These are commonly used by many researchers in social sciences. The text is well-written and provides clear yet concise context. The table of contents is straight forward, and the chapters are arranged in a fluid, logical order. In my opinion, Chapter 16 Research Ethics should not be standalone (under the Epilogue) and it could be part of the Introduction to Research (i.e., the first few chapters). The font, size, and spacing varied in some sections. Overall, I very much liked this text for its accuracy. The topics generally flow well as presented; the only exception is having the section on research ethics at the end. Social science research isn't likely to change greatly so this text should remain relevant for some time and can easily be updated to accommodate new techniques as they arise. 4-1 Milestone One Scs285. Both chapters and subordinate subsections lend themselves to various kinds of divisions. The text includes very few examples and it is hard to imagine how research methods in general could be offensive to anyone (unless it is the practice of science itself that offends them), but for completeness' sake, allow me to state that I found no instances of insensitivity or offense in this textbook. In an experiment, one component of the environment The ordering isn't necessarily the same order I have seen in other texts, but the order is reasonable. This textbook uses consistent terminology and framework. Show answer Answer This course teaches professional competence in gathering information by talking to people, collecting documents, conducting surveys and observing social interaction. Even I had missed some, they would not be destructions for the reader. There was no perception of bias or conflict that would impact accuracy. The Quantitative research. This text is most relevant to the potential research programs of our students in discussions of the precursors to research design in Chapter 2 (Thinking like a researcher) and of the using and creating of theory in Chapter 4 (Theories in Scientific Research). Virtual Records/archival review. It contains information essential to understanding quantitative and qualitative research. You'll find yourself returning to the basics, and it gives strong foundations. I noticed the examples cited were from articles written by authors from different countries. Based on the data you want to collect, decide which method is best suited for your research. Interview types and strategies are discussed in detail in Chapter 9. I would say this textbook reads as modern and relevant, although perhaps it could do more to address emerging methodological concerns in social science disciplines (p-hacking, replication, pre-registration of research designs, etc.). It would be difficult to reduce chapter readings (say, using only 5 pages of the chapter) because of the conciseness of the information and the shortness of the chapters. Survey. Team meetings, developing data collection tools and protocols, and piloting, each enhance I think this book is very well-suited for intro graduate level courses in research methods, as long as instructors are comfortable with this as an overview supplement rather than a detailed stand alone resource for students. Research is something of a traditional topic, in the sense that changes or evolutions move at a comfortably slow pace. For instance, the author states that "control variables" are not pertinent to explaining the dependent variable, but need to be taken into consideration because they may have "some impact" on it. description of factor analysis) but omitting these sections as required reading is easy since there are many subheadings used to segment chapters. (Generally I found the writing to be approachable, and concepts to be well explained, though extensive examples are also part of the "clutter" omitted from this book). Dr. Bhattacherjees book, Social Science Research, is a good introductory textbook for upper-level undergraduate students and graduate students to learn about the research process. The textbook covers the major key elements that are essential in research methods for social science. The textbook adequately covers most fundamental concepts related to research methods in the social sciences. By reorganizing these two modules into qualitative research methods and data analysis and quantitative research methods and data analysis, not only would improve the flow of the book, but also better serve researchers who are interested in a particular type of research. The course is broken down into logical subsections and chapters. org/10.4135/9781473914230 Keywords: attitudes, debates, knowledge, law, population, software, surveying Show all More information Summary Contents Subject index Download PDF Text size Survey research Discover method in the Methods Map That said, there is not a ton of depth in this textbook. Students will develop a solid foundation in the goals and rationales behind the methods social scientists employ. The glossary for the text is clear and a sample syllabus is provided by the author for individuals wishing to use this text for their course. Figure 3 and Table 1 show that data science is also a research hotspot in educational data ethics (# 1 data science), along with # 5 big data. External sites are hyperlinked, and the table of contents has been designed for electronic use, but there are no cross-reference features. Indeed, this is one of the strengths of the book: that it can be used broadly within the social sciences. Main ideas are clearly articulated in headings. WebData collection is the systematic approach to gathering and measuring information from a variety of sources to get a complete and accurate picture of an area of interest. 
It may be helpful in future editions to add additional Reviewed by Kevin Deitle, Adjunct Associate Professor, TRAILS on 10/6/19, I am pleased with the coverage in the text; it includes the history and foundations of research, as well as chapters on ethics and a sample syllabus. The authors prose is clear and easily comprehensible. It offers a unified organization that also allows for mixing and matching chapters if an instructor wishes to teach the chapters out of order. On page 77, the author indicates that a survey should begin with non-threatening questions such as demographic information. The course for which I seek a textbook is meant to prepare students in a non-discipline-specific regional studies context, and for a range of methodologies and research design possibilities, mostly in the social sciences and humanities. The nice thing with this text is that you could rearrange as you see fit for your course without an issue. As this textbook is designed as a succinct overview of research design and process, more practical topics are not included in much detail such as how to conduct different statistical analyses using SPSS or SAS, or how to interpret statistical analysis results. The text covers the basic concepts in theory, research design and analysis that one would expect of a text geared toward the social sciences in general. data collection methods; non- and low . The social science research process is unlikely to change in any signfiicant way for some time; therefore, I suspect the book will be relevant for years to come. 
The author even mentions excluding certain chapters that are actually full courses where he teaches. Reviewed by Jason Giersch, Assistant Professor, UNC Charlotte on 2/1/18, The biggest challenge faced when writing a book about research methods is the decision about what NOT to include. However, it would have to be supplemented heavily with other materials, as well as lectures, which is not without a trade-off cost. The text included relevant descriptions of current software commonly used in research. I had no issues as I reviewed the book in terms of consistency of terms used. This enables instructors to cover one chapter per week, if they so desire, or optionally spend more time on chapters relevant to their course and exclude others. read more. This is a comprehensive text for the research methods course taught out of sociology or other social science disciplines. I had no major interface problems as I reviewed the book. However, the text could be made more comprehensive with the inclusion of an effective index and/or glossary. The text content is relevant and the author has taken care to provide relatively timeless sample research examples throughout. I would have no problem assigning smaller reading sections throughout the quarter/semester. Reading Lists At the same time, the academy is producing a growing body of literature concerning the use of online methods for primary data collection. Accessibility is a big issue right now. 34). The page layout and brief chapters make it appropriate to assign supplemental readings along with the chapter topics. WebSociologists generally choose from widely used methods of social investigation: primary source data collection such as survey, participant observation, ethnography, case study, As mentioned earlier, the logical division of the text chapters into the areas of theory, research design, data collection and data analysis, lends to a soundly-structured course and facilitates the assignment of readings and other coursework. The text is easy to navigate. There is no glossary or index, but keyword searching in the pdf copy is simple and effective. WebSocial science research may involve complex surveys from which underlying structure is extracted, experiments to investigate impacts of education or health policy, and As mentioned before, the text should add a few more chapters for the course instructors to select from. In Chapter 5 on Research Design there isn't any discussion on how to improve content and statistical conclusion validity. read more. For instance, at least one chapter should be on nonparametric statistics and their applications on research studies, while another chapter should be on research paper writing (e.g., what should be included in the Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and so on). The text seems comprehensive, covers a wide range of research approaches, and parts of the research process. Reviewed by Dana Whippo, Assistant Professor of Political Science and Economics, Dickinson State University on 1/7/16, For its purpose, as introduced by the author, this is appropriately comprehensive. However, this chapter would be easy to assign earlier in the semester. It does not contain a lot of the "bells and whistles" that the expensive traditional textbooks have (e.g. The word "scale" is associated with scale of measurement. Case study research typically includes multiple data collection techniques and data are collected from multiple sources. Social Surveys are typically structured questionnaires designed to collect information from large numbers of people in standardised form. No grammatical errors jumped out at me. The text provides a complete summary of the research process. The writing style is professional, academic in tone, yet relate-able. That being said, the text recommends SPSS and SAS as software to use while neglecting free options (like R) or more ubiquitous programs (like Excel). The text is clearly organized into five modules: introduction to research, basics of empirical research, data collection, data analysis, and research ethics. Standard texts devote most of their attention to different modes of data collection (e.g, lab experiments, field experiments, quasi-experiments, survey research, aggregate data collection, interpretive and case study methods, etc.). Updates could be easily made every five years or so to keep up with methodology. Content seems to be error-free and unbiased for the most part. Personally, I did not find this to be a problem, as the outline/table of contents is very useful, but perhaps students using the text could benefit from an index that would allow them to quickly look up what they need to know. The text is logical and has flow. I do have to supplement the text with journal articles and other materials. Surveys, observations, archival research, and secondary data collection can 
Designing Online Research 3. This text covers the core elements of a social science research methods course at the undergraduate level. The book does an excellent job covering topics that are too often Supplementing would be important if using this in an undergraduate classroom. I wish there was more discussion on field experiments in the experiment chapter. Introductory topics relating to research methods are provided early and are built upon in subsequent chapters. Learning about methods is important, but not much is gained from that knowledge unless the student also learns how to execute at least some techniques. Each module can be a standalone unit and is very adaptable to instructors who want to teach with either the whole book or individual modules. Reviewed by Rachel Lucas-Thompson, Assistant Professor, Colorado State University on 12/5/16, As acknowledged by the author in the preface, this is intended as a survey book that doesn't cover all topics in great detail. 
However, the book falls short on the depth of the essential concepts. First, while one might argue that surveys are flexible in the sense that we can ask any number of questions on any number of topics in them, the fact that the survey researcher is generally stuck with a single There is an appropriate number of tables to visually demonstrate complex topics in-text. I did not experience any issues with the text's interface, navigation or displays of images/illustrations. WebData Collection Methods. the discussion of sampling in Chapter 8) without needing to provide all of the chapters. The textbook is significantly reader-friendly and well-structured. It may be helpful in future editions to Key words are bolded but get no more embellishment, which again suggests a reference rather than an instructional work. The chapters are consistent in both terminology and framework. Errors in the experiment chapter research, and spacing varied in some sections these sections required... 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Approaches, and the chapters are arranged in a clear and concise manner, navigation displays!
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