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The Practice of Social Research

by: Babbie, Earl R.

The Practice of Social Research

by: Babbie, Earl R.

ISBN 13:
9780534620295
ISBN 10:
0534620299
Edition: 10th
Format: Hardcover
Copyright: 03/01/2003
Publisher: Thomson Learning
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Summary

Text presents the logic and skills necessary to perform effective research and write reports. Covers quantitative and qualitative methods and inductive and deductive distinctions. Includes updated and expanded material and new graphics. Includes a companion Research Writer CD-ROM, which complements a new chapter: 'Reading and Writing Social Research.'

Preface

Acknowledgments

xxv

PART 1 An Introduction to Inquiry

(82)

Human Inquiry and Science

(28)

Introduction

(1)

Looking for Reality

(6)

Ordinary Human Inquiry

(1)

Tradition

(1)

Authority

(1)

Errors in Inquiry, and Some Solutions

(1)

What's Really Real?

(3)

The Foundations of Social Science

(9)

Theory, Not Philosophy or Belief

(1)

Social Regularities

(2)

Aggregates, Not Individuals

(1)

A Variable Language

(5)

Some Dialectics of Social Research

(7)

Idiographic and Nomothetic Explanation

(3)

Inductive and Deductive Theory

(2)

Qualitative and Quantitative Data

(2)

Pure and Applied Research

(1)

The Ethics of Social Research

(1)

Voluntary Participation

(1)

No Harm to Subjects

(1)

Main Points

(1)

Key Terms

(1)

Review Questions and Exercises

(1)

Additional Readings

(1)

Resources on the Internet

(1)

Paradigms, Theory, and Social Research

(29)

Introduction

(1)

Some Social Science Paradigms

(10)

Macrotheory and Microtheory

(1)

Early Positivism

(1)

Social Darwinism

(1)

Conflict Paradigm

(1)

Symbolic Interactionism

(1)

Ethnomethodology

(1)

Structural Functionalism

(1)

Feminist Paradigms

(2)

Rational Objectivity Reconsidered

(2)

Elements of Social Theory

(1)

Two Logical Systems Revisited

(8)

The Traditional Model of Science

(3)

Deductive and Inductive Reasoning: A Case Illustration

(3)

A Graphic Contrast

(2)

Deductive Theory Construction

(3)

Getting Started

(1)

Constructing Your Theory

(1)

An Example of Deductive Theory: Distributive Justice

(2)

Inductive Theory Construction

(1)

An Example of Inductive Theory: Why Do People Smoke Marijuana?

(1)

The Links Between Theory and Research

(1)

Main Points

(1)

Key Terms

(1)

Review Questions and Exercises

(1)

Additional Readings

(1)

Resources on the Internet

(2)

The Ethics and Politics of Social Research

(24)

Introduction

(1)

Ethical Issues in Social Research

(9)

Voluntary Participation

(1)

No Harm to the Participants

(1)

Anonymity and Confidentiality

(2)

Deception

(1)

Analysis and Reporting

(1)

Institutional Review Boards

(3)

Professional Codes of Ethics

(1)

Two Ethical Controversies

(3)

Trouble in the Tearoom

(2)

Observing Human Obedience

(1)

The Politics of Social Research

(5)

Objectivity and Ideology

(3)

Politics with a Little ``p''

(1)

Politics in Perspective

(1)

Main Points

(1)

Key Terms

(1)

Review Questions and Exercises

(1)

Additional Readings

(1)

Resources on the Internet

(3)

PART 2 The Structuring of Inquiry

(134)

Research Design

(32)

Introduction

(1)

Three Purposes of Research

(3)

Exploration

(2)

Description

(1)

Explanation

(1)

The Logic of Nomothetic Explanation

(2)

Criteria for Nomothetic Causality

(2)

False Criteria for Nomothetic Causality

(1)

Necessary and Sufficient Causes

(2)

Units of Analysis

(7)

Individuals

(1)

Groups

(1)

Organizations

(1)

Social Artifacts

(1)

Units of Analysis in Review

(3)

Faulty Reasoning about Units of Analysis: The Ecological Fallacy and Reductionism

100

(1)

The Time Dimension

101

(6)

Cross-Sectional Studies

101

(1)

Longitudinal Studies

102

(3)

Approximating Longitudinal Studies

105

(1)

Examples of Research Strategies

106

(1)

How to Design a Research Project

107

(6)

Getting Started

109

(1)

Conceptualization

109

(1)

Choice of Research Method

110

(1)

Operationalization

110

(1)

Population and Sampling

110

(1)

Observations

111

(1)

Data Processing

111

(1)

Analysis

111

(1)

Application

111

(1)

Research Design in Review

112

(1)

The Research Proposal

113

(1)

Elements of a Research Proposal

113

(1)

Main Points

114

(1)

Key Terms

115

(1)

Review Questions and Exercises

115

(1)

Additional Readings

116

(1)

Resources on the Internet

116

(2)

Conceptualization, Operationalization, and Measurement

118

(32)

Introduction

119

(1)

Measuring Anything That Exists

119

(3)

Conceptions, Concepts, and Reality

120

(1)

Concepts as Constructs

121

(1)

Conceptualization

122

(7)

Indicators and Dimensions

123

(1)

The Interchangeability of Indicators

124

(1)

Real, Nominal, and Operational Definitions

124

(1)

Creating Conceptual Order

125

(1)

An Example of Conceptualization: The Concept of Anomie

126

(3)

Definitions in Descriptive and Explanatory Studies

129

(3)

Operationalization Choices

132

(8)

Range of Variation

132

(1)

Variations between the Extremes

133

(1)

A Note on Dimensions

133

(1)

Defining Variables and Attributes

134

(1)

Levels of Measurement

134

(4)

Single or Multiple Indicators

138

(1)

Some Illustrations of Operationalization Choices

139

(1)

Operationalization Goes On and On

140

(1)

Criteria of Measurement Quality

140

(6)

Precision and Accuracy

140

(1)

Reliability

141

(2)

Validity

143

(2)

Who Decides What's Valid?

145

(1)

Tension between Reliability and Validity

146

(1)

Main Points

146

(1)

Key Terms

147

(1)

Review Questions and Exercises

147

(1)

Additional Readings

148

(1)

Resources on the Internet

148

(2)

Indexes, Scales, and Typologies

150

(28)

Introduction

151

(1)

Indexes versus Scales

151

(3)

Index Construction

154

(13)

Item Selection

154

(1)

Examination of Empirical Relationships

155

(5)

Index Scoring

160

(1)

Handling Missing Data

161

(3)

Index Validation

164

(2)

The Status of Women: An Illustration of Index Construction

166

(1)

Scale Construction

167

(7)

Bogardus Social Distance Scale

168

(1)

Thurstone Scale

168

(1)

Likert Scale

169

(1)

Semantic Differential

170

(1)

Guttman Scale

170

(4)

Typologies

174

(1)

Main Points

175

(1)

Key Terms

176

(1)

Review Questions and Exercises

176

(1)

Additional Readings

176

(1)

Resources on the Internet

177

(1)

The Logic of Sampling

178

(41)

Introduction

179

(2)

A Brief History of Sampling

181

(1)

President Alf Landon

181

(1)

President Thomas E. Dewey

181

(1)

Two Types of Sampling Methods

182

(1)

Nonprobability Sampling

182

(4)

Reliance on Available Subjects

183

(1)

Purposive or Judgmental Sampling

183

(1)

Snowball Sampling

184

(1)

Quota Sampling

184

(1)

Selecting Informants

185

(1)

The Theory and Logic of Probability Sampling

186

(13)

Conscious and Unconscious Sampling Bias

187

(2)

Representativeness and Probability of Selection

189

(1)

Random Selection

190

(1)

Probability Theory, Sampling Distributions, and Estimates of Sampling Error

191

(8)

Populations and Sampling Frames

199

(2)

Review of Populations and Sampling Frames

201

(1)

Types of Sampling Designs

201

(7)

Simple Random Sampling

201

(2)

Systematic Sampling

203

(2)

Stratified Sampling

205

(2)

Implicit Stratification in Systematic Sampling

207

(1)

Illustration: Sampling University Students

207

(1)

Multistage Cluster Sampling

208

(7)

Multistage Designs and Sampling Error

210

(2)

Stratification in Multistage Cluster Sampling

212

(1)

Probability Proportionate to Size (PPS) Sampling

212

(1)

Disproportionate Sampling and Weighting

213

(2)

Probability Sampling in Review

215

(1)

Main Points

215

(1)

Key Terms

216

(1)

Review Questions and Exercises

216

(1)

Additional Readings

216

(1)

Resources on the Internet

217

(2)

PART 3 Modes of Observation

219

(148)

Experiments

220

(22)

Introduction

221

(1)

Topics Appropriate to Experiments

221

(1)

The Classical Experiment

221

(4)

Independent and Dependent Variables

222

(1)

Pretesting and Posttesting

222

(1)

Experimental and Control Groups

223

(1)

The Double-Blind Experiment

224

(1)

Selecting Subjects

225

(3)

Probability Sampling

226

(1)

Randomization

226

(1)

Matching

226

(1)

Matching or Randomization?

227

(1)

Variations on Experimental Design

228

(6)

Preexperimental Research Designs

228

(2)

Validity Issues in Experimental Research

230

(4)

An Illustration of Experimentation

234

(3)

``Natural'' Experiments

237

(2)

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Experimental Method

239

(1)

Main Points

239

(1)

Key Terms

240

(1)

Review Questions and Exercises

240

(1)

Additional Readings

240

(1)

Resources on the Internet

241

(1)

Survey Research

242

(39)

Introduction

243

(1)

Topics Appropriate for Survey Research

243

(1)

Guidelines for Asking Questions

244

(6)

Choose Appropriate Question Forms

245

(1)

Make Items Clear

246

(1)

Avoid Double-Barreled Questions

246

(1)

Respondents Must Be Competent to Answer

246

(2)

Respondents Must Be Willing to Answer

248

(1)

Questions Should Be Relevant

248

(1)

Short Items Are Best

249

(1)

Avoid Negative Items

249

(1)

Avoid Biased Items and Terms

249

(1)

Questionnaire Construction

250

(6)

General Questionnaire Format

250

(1)

Formats for Respondents

251

(1)

Contingency Questions

251

(2)

Matrix Questions

253

(1)

Ordering Items in a Questionnaire

254

(1)

Questionnaire Instructions

255

(1)

Pretesting the Questionnaire

256

(1)

A Composite Illustration

256

(1)

Self-Administered Questionnaires

256

(7)

Mail Distribution and Return

259

(1)

Monitoring Returns

259

(1)

Follow-up Mailings

260

(1)

Acceptable Response Rates

261

(1)

A Case Study

262

(1)

Interview Surveys

263

(5)

The Role of the Survey Interviewer

263

(1)

General Guidelines for Survey Interviewing

264

(2)

Coordination and Control

266

(2)

Telephone Surveys

268

(2)

Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI)

269

(1)

New Technologies and Survey Research

270

(3)

Comparison of the Different Survey Methods

273

(1)

Strengths and Weaknesses of Survey Research

274

(1)

Secondary Analysis

275

(2)

Main Points

277

(1)

Key Terms

278

(1)

Review Questions and Exercises

278

(1)

Additional Readings

278

(1)

Resources on the Internet

279

(2)

Qualitative Field Research

281

(31)

Introduction

282

(1)

Topics Appropriate to Field Research

282

(3)

Special Considerations in Qualitative Field Research

285

(3)

The Various Roles of the Observer

285

(1)

Relations to Subjects

286

(2)

Some Qualitative Field Research Paradigms

288

(10)

Naturalism

289

(1)

Ethnomethodology

290

(1)

Grounded Theory

291

(2)

Case Studies and the Extended Case Method

293

(2)

Institutional Ethnography

295

(1)

Participatory Action Research

296

(2)

Conducting Qualitative Field Research

298

(8)

Preparing for the Field

298

(1)

Qualitative Interviewing

299

(3)

Focus Groups

302

(1)

Recording Observations

303

(3)

Research Ethics in Qualitative Field Research

306

(1)

Strengths and Weaknesses of Qualitative Field Research

307

(2)

Validity

307

(1)

Reliability

308

(1)

Main Points

309

(1)

Key Terms

309

(1)

Review Questions and Exercises

309

(1)

Additional Readings

310

(1)

Resources on the Internet

311

(1)

Unobtrusive Research

312

(29)

Introduction

313

(1)

Content Analysis

314

(10)

Topics Appropriate to Content Analysis

314

(1)

Sampling in Content Analysis

315

(3)

Coding in Content Analysis

318

(4)

An Illustration of Content Analysis

322

(1)

Strengths and Weaknesses of Content Analysis

323

(1)

Analyzing Existing Statistics

324

(8)

Durkheim's Study of Suicide

324

(1)

The Consequences of Globalization

325

(2)

Units of Analysis

327

(1)

Problems of Validity

327

(1)

Problems of Reliability

327

(1)

Sources of Existing Statistics

328

(4)

Historical/Comparative Analysis

332

(6)

Examples of Historical/Comparative Analysis

332

(2)

Sources of Historical/Comparative Data

334

(1)

Analytical Techniques

335

(3)

Main Points

338

(1)

Key Terms

338

(1)

Review Questions and Exercises

338

(1)

Additional Readings

339

(1)

Resources on the Internet

339

(2)

Evaluation Research

341

(26)

Introduction

342

(1)

Topics Appropriate to Evaluation Research

343

(1)

Formulating the Problem: Issues of Measurement

344

(4)

Specifying Outcomes

345

(1)

Measuring Experimental Contexts

346

(1)

Specifying Interventions

346

(1)

Specifying the Population

346

(1)

New versus Existing Measures

347

(1)

Operationalizing Success/Failure

347

(1)

Types of Evaluation Research Designs

348

(7)

Experimental Designs

348

(1)

Quasi-Experimental Designs

349

(5)

Qualitative Evaluations

354

(1)

The Social Context

355

(7)

Logistical Problems

355

(1)

Some Ethical Issues

356

(1)

Use of Research Results

357

(5)

Social Indicators Research

362

(2)

The Death Penalty and Deterrence

362

(1)

Computer Simulation

363

(1)

Main Points

364

(1)

Key Terms

364

(1)

Review Questions and Exercises

364

(1)

Additional Readings

365

(1)

Resources on the Internet

365

(2)

PART 4 Analysis of Data

367

(2)

Qualitative Data Analysis

369

(26)

Introduction

370

(1)

Linking Theory and Analysis

370

(5)

Discovering Patterns

370

(2)

Grounded Theory Method

372

(1)

Semiotics

373

(2)

Conversation Analysis

375

(1)

Qualitative Data Processing

375

(6)

Coding

376

(3)

Memoing

379

(1)

Concept Mapping

380

(1)

Computer Programs for Qualitative Data

381

(10)

Leviticus as Seen through NUD*IST

382

(5)

Sandrine Zerbib: Understanding Women Film Directors

387

(4)

The Qualitative Analysis of Quantitative Data

391

(1)

Main Points

392

(1)

Key Terms

392

(1)

Review Questions and Exercises

393

(1)

Additional Readings

393

(1)

Resources on the Internet

393

(2)

Quantitative Data Analysis

395

(26)

Introduction

396

(1)

Quantification of Data

396

(4)

Developing Code Categories

397

(2)

Codebook Construction

399

(1)

Data Entry

400

(1)

Univariate Analysis

400

(7)

Distributions

400

(2)

Central Tendency

402

(3)

Dispersion

405

(1)

Continuous and Discrete Variables

406

(1)

Detail versus Manageability

406

(1)

Subgroup Comparisons

407

(3)

``Collapsing'' Response Categories

408

(1)

Handling ``Don't Knows''

409

(1)

Numerical Descriptions in Qualitative Research

410

(1)

Bivariate Analysis

410

(6)

Percentaging a Table

412

(3)

Constructing and Reading Bivariate Tables

415

(1)

Introduction to Multivariate Analysis

416

(2)

Main Points

418

(1)

Key Terms

419

(1)

Review Questions and Exercises

419

(1)

Additional Readings

419

(1)

Resources on the Internet

420

(1)

The Elaboration Model

421

(19)

Introduction

422

(1)

The Origins of the Elaboration Model

422

(5)

The Elaboration Paradigm

427

(9)

Replication

428

(1)

Explanation

428

(2)

Interpretation

430

(1)

Specification

431

(3)

Refinements to the Paradigm

434

(2)

Elaboration and Ex Post Facto Hypothesizing

436

(1)

Main Points

437

(1)

Key Terms

438

(1)

Review Questions and Exercises

438

(1)

Additional Readings

438

(1)

Resources on the Internet

439

(1)

Social Statistics

440

(32)

Introduction

441

(1)

The Danger of Success in Math

441

(1)

Descriptive Statistics

442

(9)

Data Reduction

442

(1)

Measures of Association

443

(4)

Regression Analysis

447

(4)

Other Multivariate Techniques

451

(7)

Path Analysis

452

(2)

Time-Series Analysis

454

(1)

Factor Analysis

455

(3)

Inferential Statistics

458

(10)

Univariate Inferences

458

(1)

Tests of Statistical Significance

459

(1)

The Logic of Statistical Significance

459

(5)

Chi Square

464

(4)

Main Points

468

(1)

Key Terms

469

(1)

Review Questions and Exercises

470

(1)

Additional Readings

470

(1)

Resources on the Internet

470

(2)

Reading and Writing Social Research

472

Introduction

473

(1)

Reading Social Research

473

(5)

Journals versus Books

473

(1)

Evaluation of Research Reports

474

(4)

Using the Internet Wisely

478

(7)

Some Useful Web Sites

478

(1)

Searching the Web

479

(1)

Evaluating the Quality of Internet Materials

480

(4)

Citing Internet Materials

484

(1)

Writing Social Research

485

(6)

Some Basic Considerations

485

(2)

Organization of the Report

487

(3)

Guidelines for Reporting Analyses

490

(1)

Main Points

491

(1)

Key Terms

491

(1)

Review Questions and Exercises

492

(1)

Additional Readings

492

(1)

Resources on the Internet

492

Appendixes

(1)

A Using the Library

(6)

B GSS Household Enumeration Questionnaire

(10)

C Random Numbers

(2)

D Distribution of Chi Square

(2)

E Normal Curve Areas

(1)

F Estimated Sampling Error

(2)

G Twenty Questions a Journalist Should Ask about Poll Results

Bibliography

(1)

Glossary

(1)

Index

Amazon no longer offers textbook rentals. We do!

The Practice of Social Research

The Practice of Social Research

9780534620295

0534620299

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials

Write a Review

Amazon no longer offers textbook rentals. We do!

The Practice of Social Research

The Practice of Social Research

9780534620295

0534620299

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials

Write a Review

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