Social Scientific Research

An engaging, practical introduction to research methods, guiding students through the challenges of developing a project, with abundant examples, activities and digital resources.

Offering an engaging and entertaining introduction to research methods, this is a practical and easy-to-use companion for all new researchers and students in the social sciences. Covering all the key stages of the research process, this book guides students in navigating some of the biggest challenges in developing a research project.

This book:

• Uses real-life everyday examples, connecting research methods to your experiences
• Includes dedicated chapters on identifying a research question, ethics and writing up your findings
• Comprises an array of activities, tips, illustrations and international case studies

• Covers qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods research
  Bringing methods to life for students across the social sciences, this book will provide you with the confidence you need to get your research off the ground.

  Autorentext
  Dawn Brancati is a political scientist who has published two books and numerous academic articles on the relationship between democratic institutions and intrastate violence.

  Inhalt

  I. Introduction
  Chapter 1: What is Social Science Research?
  Chapter 2: Research Ethics
  Chapter 3: Identifying a Research Question
  Chapter 4: Conducting the Literature Review
  II. Argumentation
  Chapter 5: Building Effective Concepts
  Chapter 6: Making Strong Arguments
  III. METHOD AND CASE SELECTION
  Chapter 7: Method Selection
  Chapter 8: Mixed Methods Research
  Chapter 9: Case Selection
  IV. QUALITATIVE METHODS AND ANALYSIS
  Chapter 10: Interviews
  Chapter 11: Focus Groups
  Chapter 12: Participant Observation
  Chapter 13: Process Tracing
  Chapter 14: Comparative Case Method
  V. QUANTITATIVE METHODS AND ANALYSIS
  Chapter 15: Measurement
  Chapter 16: Quantitative Data
  Chapter 17: Content Analysis
  Chapter 18: Surveys
  Chapter 19: Experiments
  Chapter 20: Observational Studies
  V. CONCLUSION
  Chapter 21: Social Scientific Writing
  Glossary
  Notes
  Index