Designed to help readers acquire basic skills in the methods of social science research, this book contains excerpts from professional journal articles, scholarly books, and popular press. It uses a straightforward writing style to present essential information, without eliminating key concepts, tools, and their applications. Concrete, everyday examples and "hands-on" practice activities reinforce fundamental concepts that will be useful in future careers and life.Chapter topics cover foundations of social research; variables and measurement; designing social research; indirect methods; surveys; populations, samples and sampling; preparing the data and basic data analysis; preparing the report; and applying principles of science learning to everyday learning.For a better understanding of the research findings presented to us in magazines, newspapers, television reports, and elsewhere.