How do academic social scientists and survey professionals use social measurement techniques? How are these techniques applied to specific concepts in empirical research? This book is an important resource for students, academic and professional researchers, offering an overview of both new and practiced methods of social measurement for quantitative survey research. It will provide readers looking to investigate "hot" social science topics with a way of learning how key measurement techniques can be utilised in that topic in a practical way. Emerging from the editors' widely used work on an online social survey resource offering information on key social surveys and their questionnaires entitled ’Question Bank’, this book aims to take this material further. It elaborates on the problems involved with this resource type, providing a comprehensive and unique volume that will enable the reader to have the confidence to use this technique in their own research.

May examines the research process in general and aspects of its practice in particular, in order to bridge the gap between theory and methods. This expanded edition incorporates the latest developments in social research.

Includes music.

Content includes and emphasizes the important of problem-solving and decision-making, the links between statistics and research methods, and the use of computers in social research. Includes current research examples and illustrations from such recent topics as welfare and poverty, gender issues, affirmative action, the AIDS epidemic, and more.

Includes the section "Book notes".