The Research Imagination: An Introduction to Qualitative and Quantitative Methods
Cambridge University Press, 8/13/2007
EAN 9780521705554, ISBN10: 052170555X
Paperback, 478 pages, 25.1 x 17.8 x 2.7 cm
Language: English
The idea that science is a blueprint for research, and imagination gives research its life and purpose inspired this comprehensive explanation of research methodology. The authors' decades of experience have revealed that research is a craft requiring judgment and creativity, not simply memorization and application of the rules of science. Whether one is conducting an intimate one-on-one interview or a large-scale examination of an entire society, human imagination and scientific principles of inquiry go hand in hand. To that end, this book emphasizes scientific method, but also acknowledges its critics. It covers a wide variety of data-collection techniques, but presents them as reinforcing rather than competing with one another, thus striking a balance between qualitative and quantitative methods. It is designed for students and instructors who want a comprehensive treatment of a variety of research techniques with special emphasis on qualitative approaches.
1. Research process
2. Theory and method
3. Research design
4. Measurement
5. Ethical and political issues
6. Sampling
7. Survey research
8. Intensive interviewing
9. Observational field research
10. Feminist methods
11. Historical analysis
12. Experimental research
13. Content analysis
14. Aggregate data analysis
15. Comparative research method
16. Evaluation research
17. Indexes and scales
18. Basic statistical analysis
19. Multivariate analysis and statistical significance
Epilogue
the value and limits of social science knowledge.