Overall, the text book could use more examples and applied examples, but when present, I find them culturally appropriate. -selecting a research topic Anol Bhattacherjee is a professor of information systems and the Citigroup/Hidden River Fellow at the University of South Florida. In a research career spanning 15 years, Bhattacherjee has published 46 refereed journal papers and two books that have received about 3000 citations on Google Scholar. The chapter structure, framework, and style are consistent. Project Planner. Based on the data you want to collect, decide which method is best suited for your research. I would say this textbook reads as modern and relevant, although perhaps it could do more to address emerging methodological concerns in social science disciplines (p-hacking, replication, pre-registration of research designs, etc.). Focus groups. For a textbook intended to keep costs at zero, these are glaring omissions. Occasionally I found what I thought was a topic covered only minimally in a chapter - but then found additional information in a later As acknowledged by the author in the preface, this is intended as a survey book that doesn't cover all topics in great detail. The textbooks is very accessible and easy to read for someone new to the disciplines of social science. Primary (or raw) data is gathered directly from the primary source. The text is consistent in its overall approach to research methods as well as consistent in its use of terminology. On the other hand, Quantitative Research integrates purposes and procedures that are deductive, objective, and general- ized. Reviewed by Robin Bartlett, Professor, University of North Carolina at Greensboro on 12/5/16, Generally the major topics are covered. Reviewed by Amy Thompson, Associate Professor, University of South Florida on 6/19/18, This text is a nice overview of some of the key points in social science research. Key terminology is bolded with the definition following, making it easy to identify. Many people have asked why I'm giving away something for free when I can make money selling it? There are a few here and there, but they are not distracting for the reader. As mentioned earlier, the logical division of the text chapters into the areas of theory, research design, data collection and data analysis, lends to a soundly-structured course and facilitates the assignment of readings and other coursework. 
So, the book covers a wide variety of topics and introduces them in a clear way. Adapting it to other formats, like a 5 or 10 week summer course, might be tricky. The target audience for this book includes Ph.D. and graduate students, junior researchers, and professors teaching courses on research methods, although senior researchers can also use this book as a handy and compact reference.The first and most important question potential readers should have about this book is how is it different from other textbooks on the market? Content was not culturally insensitive or offensive. The book is generally well-written and accessible. The content does not read in a way that seems (either now or in the future) likely to read as dated or obsolete. -how to read scholarly articles Instructors and disciplines within the social sciences vary widely in terms of their expectations of students in an introductory methods course, and thus their needs from a textbook also vary. 
This is both a plus and a minus, as it makes the book more compact and allow it to be used by many different disciplines, but may be harder for students to relate. First, while one might argue that surveys are flexible in the sense that we can ask any number of questions on any number of topics in them, the fact that the survey researcher is generally stuck with a single Most of the text flows in a logical, clear fashion. The text consistently matches the topics outlined in the table of content. The book does an excellent job covering topics that are too often read more. read more. Thus, I do sense somewhat of a prejudicial treatment of quantitative and experimental research methods. Based on the data you want to collect, decide which method is best suited for your research. WebResearch Design and Research Methods 51 Research consists of purposes and procedures that integrate inductive, subjec- tive, and contextual approaches. Reviewed by Barbara Molargik-Fitch, Adjunct Professor, Trine University on 3/6/21, This textbook provides a nice overview of several topics related to social science specific research. In the Behavioral and social sciences: Achievements and opportunities. As with all methods of data collection, survey research also comes with a few drawbacks. While it is important to make sure a book is culturally sensitive and not offensive, it is also important to not ignore what is known about social injustices which are well-documented. The book seems to free of errors and bias. For example: "a researcher looking at the world through a rational lens will look for rational explanations of the problem such as inadequate technology or poor fit between technology and the task context where it is being utilized, while another research[er] looking at the same problem through a social lens may seek out social deficiencies". To take another example, the author presents the formulae for the variance and standard deviation on p. 122 with the customary n-1 in the denominator. This book provides an introductory and broad review of some of the key topics in social science research including research theories, research design, data There are 5 issues in the document, 4 in tables, 5 in alternative text, etc. Quantitative research is expressed in numbers and graphs. Yet, despite the The textbook seems to be accurate and error free. The table of contents is straight forward, and the chapters are arranged in a fluid, logical order. There was no perception of bias or conflict that would impact accuracy. For its purpose, as introduced by the author, this is appropriately comprehensive. Indeed, one could use this text in conjunction with discipline specific supplements quite effectively. The book makes sure of updated case examples, discusses how students utilize the internet for research, etc. It is used to test or confirm theories and Reviewed by Divya Varier, Assistant Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University on 2/8/17, The textbook adequately covers most fundamental concepts related to research methods in the social sciences. I have seen introductions to research that were more casual and probably fit a beginner audience better than this would, but I daresay this is intended as a core text for a graduate-level class, and for that reason, can be expected to sound less approachable and more authoritative. Overall, the graphics in the online version are much clearer than in the softcover print version, which prints only in greyscale, with quite a bit of granulated distortion in the figures. The rise of social media use has been phenomenal, particularly during the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Technical terms were well defined, though as mentioned previously, an index would be helpful for this text for students to look up key terms if they became lost. Finally, this book does NOT include an index or a glossary. The sections within the chapters are clearly marked and logically organized. The biggest challenge faced when writing a book about research methods is the decision about what NOT to include. I find it provides sufficient contextualization and examples for graduate students with some background already in research methods. It provides an introduction to philosophy as well as components of research. The text provides a basic introduction to research methods in the social sciences. However, as mentioned above, this problem can be solved by adapting additional readings. most commonly-used research tools in the social sciences (Fife-Schaw, 2006). 
This text provides a great overview of core concepts relevant to health-science research. Data Analysis are thorough and clear in presentation of concepts- I definitely would use these chapters in my Research Methods class. Surveys, observations, archival research and secondary data collection can be It is also unnecessary to always add a comma before the word because.. Chapter sections of the book covering qualitative research are not presented in a logical manner. There is little, if any, discipline-specific references that a graduate student from any area of social sciences could not comprehend; however, this book is empirically-grounded and quantitatively focused. I like the organization. read more. The book is constructed in a well-organized fashion, without any issues of chapter structure. Luckily, research methods do not change drastically in a short period of time, so I expect the longevity of this book to be very high. Teachers looking for the perfect text that nails all the key points should look elsewhere or make heavy use of supplements. This textbook does an excellent job setting the stage for what we mean by "research" in the social sciences. The text is generally well written. The fact that there are 16 chapters mean that the book could support 16 separate class sessions - that is, just enough to orient classroom discussion for an entire semester. It would be a better fit in the first third; perhaps integrated into one of the first several chapters with a nod toward the evolution of social research. Not just the current edition but all future editions in perpetuity. Content is for the most part up to date (see above comments for specific areas: reliability, validity, mixed methods); some examples may become outdated very soon (example of political movements in middle eastern countries for example). Online Research Methods 2. I appreciate the clear and helpful context it provides on key concepts that students must understand to become effective researchers. This text covers all the basic concepts expected in a book on social science research. 
Research is something of a traditional topic, in the sense that changes or evolutions move at a comfortably slow pace. This text covers the core elements of a social science research methods course at the undergraduate level. It's a great starting point for teaching my students to think about the basics of social science research and provides a nice skeleton on which I can layer more in-depth material for my course. Researchers can choose between quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods. read more. For example, some topics for which the book provides helpful structure include i) Thinking Like a Researcher, ii) The Research Process, iii) Research Design, iv) and Sampling. Journalism, Media Studies & Communications, 14. read more. Usually a big sample of data is collected this would require verification, validation and recording before the analysis can take place. Numerous sub-headings throughout each chapter flag the central themes. No grammatical errors jumped out at me. That said, each module does not comprise sufficient material for a whole week; the chapters will need to be supplemented with extra reading material, especially in graduate seminars. This text is not insensitive in any way. I believe the author covers the necessary topics with enough depth to give the reader a basic The chapters are logically presented and they are grouped under different sections. The study used mostly qualitative data collection methods including observation, taking field notes and The writing was very crisp, and to the point. This textbook provides a nice overview of several topics related to social science specific research. Areas that would need attention: a chapter introducing mixed methods research, and a deeper discussion on Research Ethics. This is an unfortunate oversight. I really appreciate the broad focus and examples from social science fields. Well, not just to stop my students from constantly complaining about the high price of text books, but also because I believe that scientific knowledge should not be constrained by access barriers such as price and availability. The text is easily divisible into smaller reading sections. One thing I would recommend adding is examples and cases. I think this book is very well-suited for intro graduate level courses in research methods, as long as instructors are comfortable with this as an overview supplement rather than a detailed stand alone resource for students. Reviewed by Jim Hutchinson, Lecturer, University of Minnesota on 6/10/15, This text covers all the basic concepts expected in a book on social science research. The appendices are an especially nice touch and added value for faculty to understand how the author uses this text and creates a syllabus to complement it. It would be helpful if bookmarks were placed in the pdf version. Personally, I appreciate the compact nature of this text and I would much rather fill in a few gaps on my end, if it means that I can assign my students an open textbook. All words, sections and tables are easily searchable. Perhaps a companion volume could address these needs. On the downside, there are no bells and whistles that many some students have come to expect from online textbooks. Dr. Bhattacherjee notes the book is organized for semesters with supplemental readings, as shown by the sample syllabus in the appendix. Weaknesses of Survey Method. I think updates could be easily added, and if the author decided to cover some topics more thoroughly, that could be accomplished relatively easily, too. -how to search the literature -community-based participatory research Ethics, ethical behavior, and rigor are a must in research and should be addressed early on in the research process. There are no observed problems with the interface of the text. Research methods and statistics content are unlikely to change rapidly, although with the increasing use of ecological momentary assessments, daily diaries, and internet sampling techniques, it might be useful down the road to include more detail about those techniques. Dr. Bhattacherjees book is a nice overview of all these different methods commonly used in the social sciences. I will be adopting this text to supplement other readings assigned in my master's-level research and analytic methods course. Quantitative research. In terms of coverage, then, the text can be described as comprehensive in terms of topics. On page 77, the author indicates that a survey should begin with non-threatening questions such as demographic information. This paper provides an innovative, yet practical adaptation of social science approaches to observation that can be feasibly used by health researchers. It is not comprehensive enough to be the only text students encounter, but it would be sufficient for say master's level programs that focus more on capstone or practical "informed by research" projects. The text is readable at a collegiate level without becoming over-academic, or for that matter, casual. This text provides a fairly comprehensive coverage of topics. If this had been submitted as an academic work it would likely earn some criticism for style or grammar (the author seems to follow APA style, but tends to footnote references simultaneously), but this never impedes the delivery. For example, if the emphasis of the course will be on quantitative research, then this text is highly relevant, however, if the emphasis is on an equal balance between the traditions of qualitative and quantitative, then this text is slightly less relevant due to the more limited nature of its content in qualitative (in comparison to content on quantitative). It is easy to read and to follow the authors arguments. The text employs features for fast visual reference, to include breaks in the text to allow for visual elements, and bolded text where key terms are introduced or defined. Some chapters seem to end abruptly while other chapters have excellent summaries or conclusions. Furthermore, Facebook has also seen its share of users rise It addresses all major topics of interest for instructors needing to develop student background knowledge in social science research methodology. economic, political science), and I think more discussion of this technique is warranted. The bottom line is that most key topics in the research process are covered, but the coverage is not terribly deep. I also don't feel like this textbook has enough visuals or figures that could be used to support comprehension of the materials. Aside from these minor issues, this text is a great resource and I recommend it. This book is designed to complement those readings by summarizing all important concepts in one compact volume, rather than burden students with a voluminous text on top of their assigned readings.Third, this book is free in its download version. Having said this, I feel the chapter on Ethics should be moved up further in the chapter line-up (possibly to chapter 2 or 3). They will make it easy to select sections for assignment or reordering if revising for use. Data collection. The topics in the text are presented in a logical, clear fashion. The text is easy to navigate. Software packages such as SPSS and R are typically used for this purpose. No complaints on this score. The textbook is appropriately structured for a standard 15 week course and even recommends a syllabus. The text could be easily adapted and/or supplemented to fit any discipline-specific needs. I have not noticed any clear biases or insensitive handling of material in the book. One of the advantages of the book, in my view, is that it will not become obsolete anytime soon. I have found very few grammatical errors or incomplete sentences, and none of those were so flagrant as to make the text unusable. I think students could be misled by this and I think this requires a lot of unpacking. It is the appearance of content in multiple places that was occasionally problematic for me as I read (i.e. Digital Text Analysis 7. It was published in 2012. Reading Lists Social research includes various methodologies, including qualitative and quantitative research methods, and it may be applied to current or historical subjects. In reviewing this text I did not see any examples that might be deemed offensive or insensitive to other cultures, orientations, ethnicities, etc, Reviewed by Amy Thompson , Associate Professor, University of South Florida on 3/27/18, Reviewed by Kendall Bustad, Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Maryland, College Park on 2/1/18, This book covers all the important topics in social science research and is approachable regardless of discipline and course level (high school, undergraduate, graduate, and even post-graduate). Occasionally, graphs and tables are not as crisp and visually appealing as they might be in an expensive textbook, but personally, the ability to assign an open source text to my students far outweighs any concerns I might have about the visual attractiveness of a book. Overall, I found the text to be generally consistent in its approach to the content. Summary. The textbook is significantly reader-friendly and well-structured. The Online Survey 5. read more. 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To identify topics that are too often read more and helpful context it provides an introduction to research methods at. Great resource and I think more discussion of this technique is warranted topics are covered other! The disciplines of social media use has been phenomenal, particularly during the COVID-19! Requires a lot of unpacking could be misled by this and I recommend it and social.... Becoming over-academic, or for that matter, casual ( i.e a social science.... Media Studies & Communications, 14. read more for what we mean by `` research '' in the book organized...
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