​The sixth Canadian edition of Fundamentals of Social Research provides students with a basis for understanding social scientific research methods within the contents of their own research projects, published research they consume, and the social world around us. Learners will develop a conceptual and methodological toolbox for diagnosing, highlighting, and ultimately enriching important social problems. This important skill set will be used for years to come, whether that be as an academic, activist, businessperson, or an engaged citizen in a democratic society.

This text links the complementary processes of research design and statistical analysis in assessing causal relationships in the social sciences.

Through a multi-methodology approach, Principles and Methods of Social Research, Fourth Edition covers the latest research techniques and designs and guides readers toward the design and conduct of social research from the ground up. Applauded for its comprehensive coverage, the breadth and depth of content of this new edition is unparalleled. Explained with updated applied examples useful to the social, behavioral, educational, and organizational sciences, the methods described are relevant to contemporary researchers. The underlying logic and mechanics of experimental, quasi-experimental, and non-experimental research strategies are discussed in detail. Introductory chapters cover topics such as validity and reliability furnish readers with a firm understanding of foundational concepts. The book has chapters dedicated to sampling, interviewing, questionnaire design, stimulus scaling, observational methods, content analysis, implicit measures, dyadic and group methods, and meta-analysis to cover these essential methodologies. Notable features include an emphasis on understanding the principles that govern the use of a method to facilitate the researcher’s choice of the best technique for a given situation; use of the laboratory experiment as a touchstone to describe and evaluate field experiments, correlational designs, quasi experiments, evaluation studies, and survey designs; and coverage of the ethics of social research including the power a researcher wields and tips on how to use it responsibly. The new edition features: Increased attention to the distinction between conceptual replication and exact replication and how each contributes to cumulative science. Updated research examples that clarify the operation of various research design operations. More learning tools including more explanation of the basic concepts, more research examples, and more tables and figures, such as additional illustrations to include internet content like social media. Extensive revisions and expansions of all chapters. A fuller discussion of the dangers of unethical treatment to research participants. Principles and Methods of Social Research, Fourth Edition is intended for graduate or advanced undergraduate courses in research methods in psychology, communication, sociology, education, public health, and marketing, and further appeals to researchers in various fields of social research, such as social psychology and communication.

Fully updated in this second edition, this book introduces students to basic principles in social research. Taking a public health approach the book covers areas such as health promotion, public health and health services management and is aimed at helping a variety of health professionals. The book uses examples from a range of settings to illustrate how qualitative and quantitative methods from the disciplines of sociology, psychology, history and anthropology have been used to understand health related behaviour. Praised for its clarity and breadth, this popular book has been thoroughly updated and now includes: Extended further reading More indepth chapters reflecting the most current topics in the field of social research Expanded material on the use of secondary sources More coverage on the usage of studies within larger public health programmes, including mixed methods and integration of data Increased number of international examples and updated case studies All chapters have extensive pedagogy to engage readers and bring the theory to life, and is ideal for students taking a real variety of social research modules as part of a health program. It is particularly valuable for public health students. Understanding Public Health is an innovative series published by Open University Press in collaboration with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Series Editors: Rosalind Plowman and Nicki Thorogood. Contributors: Sarah Bernays, John Browne, Tracey Chantler, Mary Alison Durand, Martin Gorsky, Andy Guise, Judith Green, Tim Rhodes and Sarah Smith.

How the NSF became an important yet controversial patron for the social sciences, influencing debates over their scientific status and social relevance. In the early Cold War years, the U.S. government established the National Science Foundation (NSF), a civilian agency that soon became widely known for its dedication to supporting first-rate science. The agency's 1950 enabling legislation made no mention of the social sciences, although it included a vague reference to "other sciences." Nevertheless, as Mark Solovey shows in this book, the NSF also soon became a major--albeit controversial--source of public funding for them.

A core statistics text that emphasizes logical inquiry, not math Basic Statistics for Social Research teaches core general statistical concepts and methods that all social science majors must master to understand (and do) social research. Its use of mathematics and theory are deliberately limited, as the authors focus on the use of concepts and tools of statistics in the analysis of social science data, rather than on the mathematical and computational aspects. Research questions and applications are taken from a wide variety of subfields in sociology, and each chapter is organized around one or more general ideas that are explained at its beginning and then applied in increasing detail in the body of the text. Each chapter contains instructive features to aid students in understanding and mastering the various statistical approaches presented in the book, including: Learning objectives Check quizzes after many sections and an answer key at the end of the chapter Summary Key terms End-of-chapter exercises SPSS exercises (in select chapters) Ancillary materials for both the student and the instructor are available and include a test bank for instructors and downloadable video tutorials for students.

Research is defined in the broadest sense of the term as any collection of data, information, and facts for the purpose of advancing knowledge. Engaging with any type of factual literature constitutes a form of inquiry. Additionally, reading the news or surfing the web constitutes research. Science, on the other hand, prefers to confine its usage of this term to specific, narrowly defined domains. The term'review' is frequently employed to denote the process of acquiring knowledge, which constitutes a fundamental principle of the inflexible frameworks that define research. As a result of the prejudices, accrued experiences, and beliefs of the populace, common sense knowledge is frequently inconsistent and contradictory. Scientific observations, on the other hand, are founded on citation-able, verifiable evidence or a systematic body of proof. With this in consideration, the current book was authored with two distinct aims: (i) to provide guidance to researchers of all disciplines in selecting the most suitable methodology for their research endeavors; and (ii) to acquaint readers with the intricacies of employing various research methods and techniques. With any luck, the modest endeavor manifested in this book will contribute to the successful completion of both exploratory and outcome-driven research endeavors.