Overview

`Social Research: The Basics is a comprehensive yet accessible introduction to social research. It succeeds in bridging the gap between qualitative and quantitative approaches, and links important normative questions to empirical methods designed to find answers. This is a powerful tool for students′ - Todd Donovan, Western Washington University, co-author of The Elements of Social Scientific Thinking (8th edition) `This is a valuable addition to the social research literature because it provides practical and detailed support to undergraduates who are conducting research for the first time′ - Tim May, University of Salford `Purpose and technique combine in a clear, thorough and comprehensive step-by-step introduction to the NVivo qualitative software′ - Lyn Richards, Qualitative Solutions and Research Pty Ltd, Australia For those who wish to learn about or carry out their own social research projects, Matthew David and Carole D Sutton′s excellent book provides the answer - a practical, balanced and comprehensive introduction giving equal weight to qualitative and quantitative approaches. Social Research provides a general and integrated introduction to qualitative and quantitative research design, data collection and analysis and includes comprehensive and practical instruction (including screenshots) on the use of analysis software (SPSS v11 and QSR NVivo 2.0/N6). The authors emphasize the application in the real world of social research, while outlining the intellectual debates which frame practical concerns. The book: - is structured to allow the researcher to use it as a textbook or as a handbook - builds upon detailed examples - is accessible enough to be read by those with no prior knowledge or experience - is comprehensive enough to allow the user to design, conduct and analyze research - provides a complete foundation and a framework for a novice researcher to design, conduct and analyze research - will enable the reader to reach a level of theoretical and practical understanding that will allow them to comprehend and apply otherwise inaccessible specialist texts - has an associated website by the authors - includes a glossary of over 300 terms This student-friendly book covers social research at a level sufficient to successfully support the reader through a final year social science undergraduate dissertation project.

Full Product Details

Author:   Matthew David ,  Carole Sutton
Publisher:   SAGE Publications Inc
Imprint:   SAGE Publications Inc
Dimensions:   Width: 18.90cm , Height: 2.50cm , Length: 24.60cm
Weight:   0.940kg
ISBN:  

9780761973669

ISBN 10:   0761973664
Pages:   400
Publication Date:   01 April 2004
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Tertiary & Higher Education
Replaced By:   9781847870124
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Out of Print
Availability:   Out of stock  

Table of Contents

PART ONE: STARTING YOUR RESEARCH Getting Started Being Ethical Data and Data Collection The Qualitative and the Quantitative in Social Research What Is Social Research? Examples from the Field PART TWO: RESEARCH DESIGN AND DATA COLLECTION Introduction to the Process of Qualitative Research Qualitative Interviewing One-to-One and Focus Groups Ethnography and Case Study Research Collecting Textual Data Ethnomethodology and Conversation Analysis Introduction to Quantitative Research Design Hypotheses, Operationalization and Variables Sampling Survey Design Collecting and Coding Data PART THREE: DATA ANALYSIS Introduction to Qualitative Data Analysis Coding Qualitative Data (Qualitative Content Analysis) Semiotic and Narrative Forms of Discourse Analysis and Doing Conversation Analysis Using Computer Software Working with NVivo/N6 Introduction to Quantitative Data Analysis Describing Single Variables Describing and Exploring Relationships Inferential Statistics and Hypothesis Testing Data Manipulation PART FOUR: PRESENTING RESEARCH FINDINGS Producing a Written Report Presenting Research Findings to an Audience

Reviews

'This is a valuable addition to the social research literature because it provides practical and detailed support to undergraduates who are conducting research for the first time' - Tim May, University of Salford

`This is a valuable addition to the social research literature because it provides practical and detailed support to undergraduates who are conducting research for the first time′ - Tim May, University of Salford

Author Information

Matthew David is a Senior Lecturer in Applied Social Science at Durham University, and has undertaken research in the areas of new social movements, online data-services in higher education, online training in rural areas and forms of free online music sharing. He is author of Science in Society (Palgrave 2005) and Peer to Peer and the Music Industry (SAGE 2010), and co-author of Social Research (SAGE, latest edition 2011).

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