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Detailed Contents

About the Author

Preface

Acknowledgments

Section I. Foundations for Social Research

1. Science, Society, and Social Research

Research That Matters, Questions That Count

Learning About the Social World

Avoiding Errors in Reasoning About the Social World Observing Generalizing Reasoning Reevaluating

Science and Social Science

The Scientific Approach

Research in the News: Social Media and Political Polarization

Pseudoscience or Science

Motives for Social Research

Types of Social Research

Descriptive Research

Exploratory Research

Explanatory Research

Evaluation Research

Careers and Research

Strengths and Limitations of Social Research

Alternative Research Orientations

Quantitative and/or Qualitative Methods

Philosophical Perspectives

Basic Science or Applied Research

The Role of Values

Conclusions

■ Key Terms

■ Highlights

■ Discussion Questions

■ Practice Exercises

■ Ethics Questions

■ Web Exercises

■ Video Interview Questions

■ SPSS Exercises

■ Developing a Research Proposal

2 The Process and Problems of Social Research

Research That Matters, Questions That Count

Social Research Questions

Identifying Social Research Questions

Refining Social Research Questions

Evaluating Social Research Questions

Feasibility

Social Importance

Scientific Relevance

Social Theories

Scientific Paradigms

Social Research Foundations

Searching the Literature

Reviewing Research

Single-Article Reviews: Formal and Informal Deterrents to Domestic Violence

Integrated Literature Reviews: When Does Arrest Matter?

Systematic Literature Reviews: Second Responder Programs and Repeat Family Abuse Incidents

Searching the Web

Social Research Strategies

Research in the News: Control and Fear: What Mass Killings and Domestic Violence Have in Common

Explanatory Research

Deductive Research

Domestic Violence and the Research Circle

Inductive Research

Exploratory Research

Battered Women’s Help Seeking

Descriptive Research

Careers and Research

Social Research Organizations

Social Research Standards

Measurement Validity

Generalizability

Causal Validity

Authenticity

Conclusions

■ Key Terms ■ Highlights ■ Discussion Questions ■ Practice Exercises

■ Ethics Questions

■ Web Exercises

■ Video Interview Questions

■ SPSS Exercises

■ Developing a Research Proposal

3 Research Ethics and Research Proposals

Research That Matters, Questions That Count

Historical Background

Ethical Principles

Achievement of Valid Results

Honesty and Openness

Protection of Research Participants

Avoid Harming Research Participants

Obtain Informed Consent

Avoid Deception in Research, Except in Limited Circumstances

Maintain Privacy and Confidentiality

Consider Uses of Research So That Benefits Outweigh Risks

The Institutional Review Board

Research in the News: Some Social Scientists Are Tired of Asking for Permission

Careers and Research

Social Research Proposals

Case Study: Evaluating a Public Health Program

Conclusions

■ Key Terms

■ Highlights

■ Discussion Questions

■ Practice Exercises

■ Ethics Questions

■ Web Exercises

■ Video Interview Questions

■ SPSS Exercises

■ Developing a Research Proposal

Section II Fundamentals of Social Research

4. Conceptualization and Measurement

Research That Matters, Questions That Count Concepts

Conceptualization in Practice

Substance Abuse

Youth Gangs

Poverty

From Concepts to Indicators

Research in the News: Are Teenagers Replacing Drugs With Smartphones?

Abstract and Concrete Concepts

Operationalizing the Concept of Race

Operationalizing Social Network Position

From Observations to Concepts

Measurement

Constructing Questions

Making Observations

Collecting Unobtrusive Measures

Using Available Data

Coding Content

Taking Pictures

Combining Measurement Operations

Careers and Research

Levels of Measurement

Nominal Level of Measurement

Ordinal Level of Measurement

Interval Level of Measurement

Ratio Level of Measurement

The Special Case of Dichotomies

Comparison of Levels of Measurement

Evaluating Measures

Measurement Validity

Face Validity

Content Validity

Criterion Validity

Construct Validity

Measurement Reliability

Multiple Times: Test–Retest and Alternate Forms

Multiple Indicators: Interitem and Split-Half

Multiple Observers: Interobserver and Intercoder

Ways to Improve Reliability and Validity

Conclusions

■ Key Terms

■ Highlights

■ Discussion Questions

■ Practice Exercises

■ Ethics Questions

■ Web Exercises

■ Video Interview Questions

■ SPSS Exercises

■ Developing a Research Proposal

5. Sampling and Generalizability

Research That Matters, Questions That Count

Sample Planning

The Purpose of Sampling

Define Sample Components and the Population

Evaluate Generalizability

Assess the Diversity of the Population

Research in the News: What Are Best Practices for Sampling Vulnerable Populations?

Consider a Census

Sampling Methods

Probability Sampling Methods

Simple Random Sampling

Systematic Random Sampling

Stratified Random Sampling

Multistage Cluster Sampling

Probability Sampling Methods Compared

Nonprobability Sampling Methods

Availability (Convenience) Sampling

Careers and Research

Quota Sampling

Purposive Sampling

Snowball Sampling

Lessons About Sample Quality

Generalizability in Qualitative Research

Sampling Distributions

Estimating Sampling Error

Sample Size Considerations

Conclusions

■ Key Terms

■ Highlights

■ Discussion Questions

■ Practice Exercises

■ Ethics Questions

■ Web Exercises

■ Video Interview Questions

■ SPSS Exercises

■ Developing a Research Proposal

6. Research Design and Causation

Research That Matters, Questions That Count

Research Design Alternatives

Units of Analysis

Individual and Group

The Ecological Fallacy and Reductionism

Research in the News: Police and Black Drivers

Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Designs

Cross-Sectional Designs

Longitudinal Designs

Quantitative or Qualitative Causal Explanations

Quantitative (Nomothetic) Causal Explanations

Qualitative (Idiographic) Causal Explanations

Careers and Research

Criteria and Cautions for Nomothetic Causal Explanations

Association

Time Order

Experimental Designs

Nonexperimental Designs

Nonspuriousness

Randomization

Statistical Control

Mechanism

Context

Comparing Research Designs

Conclusions

■ Key Terms

■ Highlights

■ Discussion Questions

■ Practice Exercises

■ Ethics Questions

■ Web Exercises

■ Video Interview Questions

■ SPSS Exercises

■ Developing a Research Proposal

Section III. Basic Social Research Design

7 Experiments

Research That Matters, Questions That Count

History of Experimentation

Careers and Research

True Experiments

Experimental and Comparison Groups

Pretest and Posttest Measures

Randomization

Limitations of True Experimental Designs

Summary: Causality in True Experiments

Quasi-Experiments

Nonequivalent Control Group Designs

Research in the News: Airbnb Hosts and the Disabled

Aggregate Matching

Individual Matching

Ex Post Facto Control Group Designs

Before-and-After Designs

Summary: Causality in Quasi-Experiments

Validity in Experiments

Causal (Internal) Validity

Sources of Internal Invalidity Reduced by a Comparison Group

Sources of Internal Invalidity Reduced by Randomization

Sources of Internal Invalidity That Require Attention While the Experiment Is in Progress

Generalizability

Sample Generalizability

Factorial Surveys

External Validity

Interaction of Testing and Treatment

Ethical Issues in Experimental Research

Deception

Selective Distribution of Benefits

Conclusions

■ Key Terms

■ Highlights

■ Discussion Questions

■ Practice Exercises

■ Ethics Questions

■ Web Exercises

■ Video Interview Questions

■ SPSS Exercises

■ Developing a Research Proposal

8. Survey Research

Research That Matters, Questions That Count

Survey Research in the Social Sciences

Attractions of Survey Research

Versatility

Efficiency

Generalizability

The Omnibus Survey

Errors in Survey Research

Writing Survey Questions

Avoid Confusing Phrasing

Minimize the Risk of Bias

Maximize the Utility of Response Categories

Avoid Making Either Disagreement or Agreement Disagreeable

Minimize Fence-Sitting and Floating

Combining Questions in Indexes

Designing Questionnaires

Build on Existing Instruments

Refine and Test Questions

Add Interpretive Questions

Careers and Research

Maintain Consistent Focus

Research in the News: Social Interaction Critical for Mental and Physical Health

Order the Questions

Make the Questionnaire Attractive

Consider Translation

Organizing Surveys

Mailed, Self-Administered Surveys

Group-Administered Surveys

Telephone Surveys

Reaching Sample Units

Maximizing Response to Phone Surveys

In-Person Interviews

Balancing Rapport and Control

Maximizing Response to Interviews

Web Surveys

Mixed-Mode Surveys

A Comparison of Survey Designs

Ethical Issues in Survey Research

Conclusions

■ Key Terms

■ Highlights

■ Discussion Questions

■ Practice Exercises

■ Ethics Questions

■ Web Exercises

■ Video Interview Questions

■ SPSS Exercises

■ Developing a Research Proposal

9. Quantitative Data Analysis

Research That Matters, Questions That Count

Introducing Statistics

Case Study: The Likelihood of Voting

Preparing for Data Analysis

Displaying Univariate Distributions

Graphs

Frequency Distributions

Ungrouped Data

Grouped Data

Combined and Compressed Distributions

Summarizing Univariate Distributions

Research in the News: Why Key State Polls Were Wrong About Trump

Measures of Central Tendency Mode

Median Mean

Median or Mean?

Measures of Variation

Range

Interquartile Range

Variance

Standard Deviation

Analyzing Data Ethically: How Not to Lie With Statistics

Cross-Tabulating Variables

Constructing Contingency Tables

Graphing Association

Describing Association

Evaluating Association

Controlling for a Third Variable

Intervening Variables

Extraneous Variables

Specification

Careers and Research

Regression Analysis

Performing Meta-Analyses

Case Study: Patient–Provider Race Concordance and Minority

Health Outcomes

Analyzing Data Ethically: How Not to Lie About Relationships

Conclusions

■ Key Terms

■ Highlights

■ Discussion Questions

■ Practice Exercises

■ Ethics Questions

■ Web Exercises

■ Video Interview Questions

■ SPSS Exercises

■ Developing a Research Proposal

10. Qualitative Methods

Research That Matters, Questions That Count

Fundamentals of Qualitative Methods

History of Qualitative Research

Features of Qualitative Research

Basics of Qualitative Research

The Case Study

Ethnography

Careers and Research

Digital Ethnography

Participant Observation

Choosing a Role

Covert Observation

Overt Observation

Overt Participation (Participant Observer)

Covert Participation

Research in the News: Family Life on Hold After Hurricane Harvey

Entering the Field

Developing and Maintaining Relationships

Sampling People and Events

Taking Notes

Managing the Personal Dimensions

Intensive Interviewing

Establishing and Maintaining a Partnership

Asking Questions and Recording Answers

Interviewing Online

Focus Groups

Generalizability in Qualitative Research

Ethical Issues in Qualitative Research

Conclusions

■ Key Terms

■ Highlights

■ Discussion Questions

■ Practice Exercises

■ Ethics Questions

■ Web Exercises

■ Video Interview Questions

■ SPSS Exercises

■ Developing a Research Proposal

11 Qualitative Data Analysis

Research That Matters, Questions That Count Features of Qualitative Data Analysis

Qualitative Data Analysis as an Art

Qualitative Compared With Quantitative Data Analysis

Techniques of Qualitative Data Analysis

Documentation

Organization, Categorization, and Condensation

Examination and Display of Relationships

Corroboration and Legitimization of Conclusions

Reflection on the Researcher’s Role

Alternatives in Qualitative Data Analysis

Grounded Theory

Abductive Analysis

Case-Oriented Understanding

Research in the News: How to Understand Solitary Confinement

Conversation Analysis

Narrative Analysis

Ethnomethodology

Qualitative Comparative Analysis

Combining Qualitative Methods

Visual Sociology

Careers and Research

Systematic Observation

Participatory Action Research

Computer-Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis

Ethics in Qualitative Data Analysis

Conclusions

■ Key Terms

■ Highlights

■ Discussion Questions

■ Practice Exercises

■ Ethics Questions

■ Web Exercises

■ Video Interview Questions

■ HyperRESEARCH Exercises

■ Developing a Research Proposal

Section IV Complex Social Research Designs

12. Mixed Methods

Research That Matters, Questions That Count History of Mixed Methods

Types of Mixed Methods

Integrated Mixed-Methods Designs

Embedded Mixed-Methods Designs

Staged Mixed-Methods Designs

Complex Mixed-Methods Designs

Strengths and Limitations of Mixed Methods

Research in the News: Why Women Don’t Report Sexual Harassment

Careers and Research

Ethics and Mixed Methods

Conclusions

■ Key Terms

■ Highlights

■ Discussion Questions

■ Practice Exercises

■ Ethics Questions

■ Web Exercises

■ Video Interview Questions

■ SPSS Exercises

■ Developing a Research Proposal

13. Evaluation and Policy Research

Research That Matters, Questions That Count History of Evaluation Research

Evaluation Basics

Questions for Evaluation Research

Needs Assessment

Research in the News: No-Cost Talk Therapy?

Evaluability Assessment

Process Evaluation

Impact Analysis

Efficiency Analysis

Design Decisions

Black Box Evaluation or Program Theory

Careers and Research

Researcher or Stakeholder Orientation

Quantitative or Qualitative Methods

Simple or Complex Outcomes

Groups or Individuals

Policy Research

Ethics in Evaluation

Conclusions

■ Key Terms

■ Highlights

■ Discussion Questions

■ Practice Exercises

■ Ethics Questions

■ Web Exercises

■ Video Interview Questions

■ SPSS Exercises

■ Developing a Research Proposal

14. Research Using Secondary Data and “Big” Data

Secondary Data Sources

Research That Matters, Questions That Count

Careers and Research

U S Census Bureau

Integrated Public Use Microdata Series

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Other Government Sources

Other Data Sources

Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research

Types of Data Available From ICPSR

Obtaining Data From ICPSR

Harvard’s Dataverse

International Data Sources

Qualitative Data Sources

Challenges for Secondary Data Analyses

Big Data

Background

Examples of Research Using Big Data

Ethical Issues in Secondary Data Analysis and Big Data

Research in the News: A Bright Side to Facebook’s Experiments on Its Users?

Conclusions

■ Key Terms

■ Highlights

■ Discussion Questions

■ Practice Exercises

■ Ethics Questions

■ Web Exercises

■ Video Interview Questions

■ SPSS Exercise

■ Developing a Research Proposal

15. Research Using Historical and Comparative Data and Content Analysis

Research That Matters, Questions That Count

Overview of Historical and Comparative Research Methods

Historical Social Science Methods

Historical Events Research

Event-Structure Analysis

Oral History

Historical Process Research

Cautions for Historical Methods

Comparative Social Science Methods

Research in the News: Britain Cracking Down on Gender Stereotypes in Ads

Cross-Sectional Comparative Research

Careers and Research

Comparative Historical Research

Comparative Case Study Designs

Cautions for Comparative Methods

Demographic Analysis

Content Analysis

Identify a Population of Documents or Other Textual Sources

Determine the Units of Analysis

Select a Sample of Units From the Population Design Coding Procedures for the Variables to be Measured Develop Appropriate Statistical Analyses

Ethical Issues in Historical and Comparative Research and Content Analysis

Conclusions

■ Key Terms

■ Highlights

■ Discussion Questions

■ Practice Exercises

■ Ethics Questions

■ Web Exercises

■ Video Interview Questions

■ SPSS Exercises

■ Developing a Research Proposal

16. Summarizing and Reporting Research

Research That Matters, Questions That Count

Writing Research

Displaying Research

Reporting Research

Journal Articles

Research in the News: Do Preschool Teachers Need to Be College Graduates?

Applied Research Reports

Findings From California’s Welcome Baby Program

Limitations

Conclusions

Framing an Applied Report

Research Posters

Reporting Quantitative and Qualitative Research

Ethics, Politics, and Research Reports

Careers and Research

Communicating With the Public Plagiarism

Conclusions

■ Key Terms

■ Highlights

■ Discussion Questions

■ Practice Exercises

■ Ethics Questions

■ Web Exercises

■ Video Interview Questions

■ SPSS Exercises

■ Developing a Research Proposal

Appendix A: Questions to Ask About a Research Article

Appendix B: How to Read a Research Article

Appendix C: Table of Random Numbers

Glossary

Bibliography

Index

About the Author

Russell K. Schutt,

PhD, is Professor of Sociology at the University of Massachusetts Boston; Research Associate in Psychiatry at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School; and Research Associate at Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, Department of Veterans Affairs. He completed his BA, MA, and PhD degrees at the University of Illinois at Chicago and his postdoctoral fellowship in the Sociology of Social Control Training Program at Yale University. In addition to Investigating the Social World: The Process and Practice of Research and adaptations of that text Understanding the Social World: Research Methods for the 21st Century, Making Sense of the Social World (with Dan Chambliss), Research Methods in Psychology (with Paul G. Nestor), The Practice of Research in Criminology and Criminal Justice and Fundamentals of Research in Criminology and Criminal Justice (with Ronet Bachman), The Practice of Research in Social Work and Fundamentals of Social Work Research (with Ray Engel), and Research Methods in Education (with Joseph Check) he is the author of Homelessness, Housing, and Mental Illness and Organization in a Changing Environment, coeditor of Social Neuroscience: Brain, Mind, and Society and of The Organizational Response to Social Problems, and coauthor of Responding to the Homeless: Policy and Practice He has authored and coauthored more than 50 peer-reviewed journal articles as well as many book chapters and research reports on homelessness, service preferences and satisfaction, mental health, organizations, law, and teaching research methods. His research has included a mixed-methods investigation of a public health coordinated care program, a study of community health workers and recruitment for cancer clinical trials, a mixed-methods study of a youth violence reduction program, a randomized trial of a peer support program for homeless dually diagnosed veterans, and a randomized evaluation of housing alternatives for homeless persons diagnosed with severe mental illness, with extramural funding from the National Cancer Institute, the Veterans Health Administration, the National Institute of Mental Health, the Fetzer Institute, and state agencies. His current scholarly foci are the impact of social relations and the social environment on cognitive and community functioning, the meaning of housing and service preferences, and the value of alternative organizational and occupational structures for service delivery His prior research has included investigation of social factors in legal decisions and admission practices and of influences on job and service satisfaction. Details are available at http://rschutt wikispaces umb edu

Preface

Are you married, thinking about marrying, or expecting to get married sometime in the future? Whether you answer yes or no, you have a lot of company: Half of all adults in the United States are married and half are not But since you ’ re in college, you might wonder how your marital expectations compare to those of your educational peers. If so, you’ll be interested to learn that 65% of adults aged 25 and older with a 4-year college degree are married, but the marriage rate is only 50% among those with no education beyond high school. And if you have heard the talk about marriage rates declining and look into that, the picture becomes even more interesting: Since 1960, when 72% of U S adults were married, the marriage rate has declined much more for those who are less educated than for the college educated (see Exhibit P 1) And do you wonder why? Part of the decline in the overall proportion of married adults is due to marrying later in life, but there is also a continuing increase in the share of Americans who have never married and who live with a partner without marrying See Parker and Stepler (2017) for an overview of these trends

Exhibit P.1 The Education Gap in Marriage Continues to Grow

Source: “As U.S. Marriage Rate Hovers at 50%, Education Gap in Marital Status Widens.” Pew Research Center, Washington, DC. (September, 2017). http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/09/14/as-u-s-marriage-rate-hovers-at-50education-gap-in-marital-status-widens/

Do you wonder how these findings were obtained? Are you sure the information is trustworthy; that the findings are correct? If you read the summary of the research in the United States by Kim Parker and Renee Stepler (2017), you would learn that these findings come primarily from the American Trends Panel, a survey of 4,971 adults conducted by the Pew Research Center. But is that all you need to know to assess the trustworthiness of

these findings? Do you want to know what questions were asked in the survey and how the adults were selected?

You can find answers to these questions in a report on the Pew survey, The American Trends Panel Survey Methodology (Pew Research Center 2017a) But these answers will in turn raise more questions: What are “weighted” data? What is a “representative sample”? What is a “margin of sampling error”? How good are the questions asked in the Pew survey (which you can find in another Pew report; Pew Research Center 2017b)? And would you like to know how the marriage rate in the United States compares to those in other countries? You can find those details in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Family Database (OECD 2017) or in The Sustainable Demographic Dividend, a report by the Social Trends Institute (2017)

Of course, I have presented only a bit of the evidence about marriage rates and just a few of the conclusions about variation in those rates between social groups and over time; there are many related issues to consider and important questions to ask about the evidence My intent now is not to give you the whole picture about marriage rates, but to introduce the study of research methods by illustrating how research helps us understand pressing social questions and why we need to learn more about research methods to evaluate the results of such research.

Neither our own limited perceptions nor a few facts gleaned from even reputable sources provide us with a trustworthy basis for understanding the social world. We need systematic methods for investigating our social world that enable us to chart our course through the passions of the moment and to see beyond our own personal experience.

Teaching and Learning Goals

If you see the importance of pursuing answers to questions about the social world the way that the Pew Research Center does, you can understand the importance of investigating the social world. One purpose of this book is to introduce you to social science research methods such as those involved in the Pew study of the education gap in marriage rates and to show how they improve everyday methods of answering our questions about the social world. Each chapter integrates instruction in research methods with investigation of interesting aspects of the social world, such as the use of social networking; the police response to domestic violence; and influences on crime, homelessness, work organizations, health, patterns of democratization, and the response to disasters.

Another purpose of this book is to give you the critical skills necessary to evaluate research Just “doing research” is not enough. Just reading that some conclusions are “based on a research study” is not sufficient You must learn to ask many questions before concluding that research-based conclusions are appropriate. What did the researchers set out to investigate? How were people selected for study? What information was collected, and how was it analyzed? Throughout this book, you will learn what questions to ask when critiquing a research study and how to evaluate the answers. You can begin to sharpen your critical teeth on the illustrative studies throughout the book

A third goal of this book is to train you to actually do research. Substantive examples will help you see how methods are used in practice. Exercises at the end of each chapter give you ways to try different methods alone or in a group A checklist for research proposals will chart a course when you plan more ambitious studies. But research methods cannot be learned by rote and applied mechanically Thus, you will learn the benefits and liabilities of each major approach to research and why employing a combination of them is often preferable. You will come to appreciate why the results of particular research studies must always be interpreted within the context of prior research and through the lens of social theory.

Organization of the Book

The way the book is organized reflects my beliefs in making research methods interesting, teaching students how to critique research, and viewing specific research techniques as parts of an integrated research strategy. The text is divided into four sections. The three chapters in the first section, Foundations for Social Research, introduce the why and how of research in general. Chapter 1 shows how research has helped us understand the impact of social networking and changes in social ties. It also introduces some alternative approaches to social research, with a particular emphasis on the contrast between quantitative and qualitative research approaches. Chapter 2 illustrates the basic stages of research with a series of experiments on the police response to domestic violence, it emphasizes the role of theory in guiding research, and it describes the major strategies for research projects. Chapter 3 highlights issues of research ethics by taking you inside Stanley Milgram’s research on obedience to authority and by introducing the institutional review boards (IRBs) that examine the ethics of proposed research. The chapter ends by discussing the organization of research proposals

The next three chapters, Fundamentals of Social Research, discuss how to evaluate the way researchers design their measures (Chapter 4), draw their samples (Chapter 5), and justify their statements about causal connections (Chapter 6) As you learn about these procedures, you will also read about research on substance abuse and gangs, homelessness, and the causes of violence.

In the next section, Basic Social Research Designs, Chapters 7, 8, and 9 present the primary strategies used in quantitative research: collecting data through experiments (Chapter 7) and surveys (Chapter 8) and analyzing data with statistics (Chapter 9) The fascinating research examples in these chapters come from investigations of the causes of interpersonal confrontations, the effects of education on health, and the factors associated with voting. Chapters 10 and 11 then introduce the primary strategies used in collecting qualitative data (including participant observation, intensive interviews, and focus groups), and analyzing the results You will learn in these two chapters about the response to disasters and the course of social interaction.

The Complex Social Research Designs in Chapters 12 through 16 each can involve multiple methodologies Chapter 12 introduces the mixed-methods approaches that combine quantitative and qualitative research techniques to improve understanding of the complexities of the social world. Evaluation research, the focus of Chapter 13, can employ experiments, surveys, and qualitative methods to learn about the need for and the effects of social and other types of programs. This chapter begins with an overview of evaluation research on drug abuse prevention programs Chapter 14 introduces the techniques and challenges of secondary data analysis and the use of Big Data. The online availability of

thousands of data sets from social science studies has helped make secondary data analysis the use of previously collected data to investigate new research questions the method of choice in many investigations. What is termed Big Data is generated when you use social media, find your location with GPS, search the web, purchase goods online, or in other ways create electronic records that can be analyzed by researchers to identify social patterns.

Chapter 15 focuses on historical and comparative methodologies, which can use data obtained with one or more of the primary methods to study processes at regional and societal levels over time and between units; research examples focus on the process of democratization and the bases of social revolutions This chapter also introduces content analysis, which can be used to good effect in historical and comparative research, as well as in research on issues such as gender roles, to reveal how text or pictures reflect social processes. Chapter 16 finishes up with an overview of the process of and techniques for reporting research results with special attention to visual representations of data patterns and an overview of the problem of plagiarism and some guidelines for writing about research.

Distinctive Features of the Ninth Edition

The ninth edition of Investigating the Social World retains the strengths of previous editions while breaking new ground with the latest developments in research methods, enhanced tools for learning in the text and online, and contemporary, fascinating research findings. Some chapters have been reorganized and renumbered to improve the flow of the text and to better connect related techniques, and there are new examples throughout. You will find many other innovations in approach, coverage, and organization in the ninth edition:

New material reflecting the latest advances in research methods.

The continuing expansion of our social world through the web and the forms of computermediated communication it supports continues to stimulate advances in research methods.

A new section on systematic reviews in Chapter 2 introduces the availability of the worldwide effort to provide integrated reviews of research on interventions in health, social welfare, education, and other areas The latest approaches in online surveys and online qualitative research methods have been added to Chapters 8, 10, and 11, while Chapter 14’s overview of Big Data methods has been expanded considerably, with attention to geodata and new data sources. One of the key advantages of Investigating the Social World balanced and informed treatment of both qualitative and quantitative research approaches is thus now complemented with consistent attention to using research methods online as well as offline, so that students can tailor the research methods they use to the research questions they ask and the research opportunities they have Expected changes in federal standards for human subject research are included in Chapter 3’s overview of IRB requirements. New perspectives on data visualization and a new section on research posters have been added to Chapter 16

Reorganization to improve flow within and between chapters.

The fourth section, complex research designs, has been reorganized to draw attention to the increasing focus on and value of mixed methods, while the overview of meta-analysis has been moved from the last chapter to a final section in Chapter 9, where it complements other topics in quantitative data analysis Chapter 1 has been streamlined by a reduced focus on alternative research philosophies (with more discussion about them in Chapter 10) with more attention given to the role of values in research Many chapters have fewer examples in order to improve the flow of the text.

Updated coverage of each research method.

Research methods continue to develop, and new challenges must be overcome as our social world continues to change. Coverage of topics has been updated to reflect increased attention to systematic literature reviews and to provide more guidance for effective

literature reviews and the use of new online tools, distinguishing conceptual frameworks and social theories, working as part of a research team, changes in the Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects, new concerns in research ethics, and more examples of unethical practice. I have focused more attention on the expanding role of the online social world, including developments in online experiments and surveys, online qualitative methods, geodata and other forms of Big Data, and visual methods I have added more guidance on improving survey questions, the use of mixed-mode surveys, and issues in survey ethics. My coverage of qualitative methods includes more guidance on case study methods, an introduction to abductive analysis, new material on narrative analysis, a new section on video ethnography, and new examples of ethical dilemmas, as well as new ways of thinking about and using online approaches The chapter on mixed methods (now Chapter 12) has been updated, and the chapter on evaluation and policy research (now Chapter 13) includes new perspectives on program theory and evidence-based practice New sources are provided in the chapter on secondary data analysis (Chapter 14) and coverage of the rapidly growing area of Big Data has been expanded with information on the background of and resources for these approaches My coverage of these issues reflects the latest insights from SAGE’s most recent specialized books on particular research methods as well as new lessons from my own research

Examples of social research as it occurs in real-world settings.

Most of the Research That Matters, Questions That Count examples that introduce each chapter have been updated, and many other examples from recent social research projects have been added. Fascinating examples of research on social ties, domestic violence, crime, and other social issues have been updated and extended from the eighth edition The examples demonstrate that the exigencies and complexities of real life shape the application of research methods. The Research in the News examples have been replaced in each chapter with new vignettes, drawing attention to the role of social research in shaping public discourse and policy.

Web-based instructional aids.

The book’s study site includes interactive exercises for the Research That Matters, Questions That Count research articles including those that are new to this edition. These articles were published in SAGE journals and correspond to the primary research topic in each chapter of the text. It is important to spend enough time with these exercises to become very comfortable with the basic research concepts presented The interactive exercises allow you to learn about research on a range of interesting topics as you practice using the language of research, while the articles are posted so that you can explore the details of the reported research.

Careers and research.

Many of the chapter vignettes about the career of a researcher have been updated They provide good examples of the value of studying hard and mastering these methods!

Updated links and exercises

Exercises using websites have been updated and those involving IBM SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) Statistics* software have been revised for use with the new 2016 General Social Survey (GSS) data set (a version of this data set is available on the book’s study site). Interactive exercises have been updated for the new Research That Matters articles, and they link to the SAGE journal articles from which those articles were obtained. The HyperRESEARCH program for qualitative analysis is also available online to facilitate qualitative analyses presented in exercises for Chapter 11.

Aids to effective study.

The many effective study aids included in the previous editions have been updated, as needed. Appendix E, which you will find on the book’s study site, presents an annotated list of useful websites.

It is a privilege to be able to share with so many students the results of excellent social science investigations of the social world If Investigating the Social World communicates the excitement of social research and the importance of evaluating carefully the methods we use in that research, then I have succeeded in representing fairly what social scientists do. If this book conveys accurately the latest developments in research methods, it demonstrates that social scientists are themselves committed to evaluating and improving their own methods of investigation I think it is fair to say that we practice what we preach

Now you ’ re the judge. I hope that you and your instructor enjoy learning how to investigate the social world and perhaps do some investigating along the way. And I hope you find that the knowledge and (dare I say it?) enthusiasm you develop for social research in this course will serve you well throughout your education, in your career, and in your community.

A Note About Using SPSS *

* IBM SPSS® Statistics.

To carry out the SPSS exercises at the end of each chapter and in Appendix D (on the book’s study site), you must already have SPSS on your computer. The exercises use a subset of the 2016 GSS data set (included on the study site) This data set includes variables on topics such as work, family, gender roles, government institutions, race relations, and politics. Appendix D will get you up and running with IBM SPSS, and you can then spend as much time as you like exploring characteristics and attitudes of Americans. If you are able to use the complete version of SPSS (perhaps in a university computer lab), just download the GSS2016 file and save it on your computer, then start SPSS on your PC, open the GSS2016 file, and begin with the first SPSS exercise in Chapter 1. The GSS2016x file provides all the variables you need for exercises in each chapter except Chapter 9, while the GSS2016y file includes just the variables needed for the examples and exercises in Chapter 9. If you are using the SPSS Student version of SPSS (purchased with this text or separately), you must download the GSS2016x reduced and GSS2016y reduced files and use them, as requested, for the SPSS exercises. Alternatively, you could complete many of the SPSS exercises in the text using an online analysis program at the University of California, Berkeley, website (http://sda.berkeley.edu/archive.htm) or at the National Opinion Research Center site (www.norc.uchicago.edu/GSS+Website/).

See the book’s study site for instructions about this easy approach to statistical analysis

The study site also includes a subset of the 2002 International Social Survey Program data set. In addition, the GSS website listed subsequently contains documentation files for the GSS2016 and the ISSP2002, as well as the complete GSS2016 data set (but this original dataset does not include constructed variables that are used in some of the exercises).

Ancillaries

SAGE edge™

edge.sagepub.com/schutt9e

SAGE edge offers a robust online environment featuring an impressive array of tools and resources for review, study, and further exploration, keeping both instructors and students on the cutting edge of teaching and learning. SAGE edge content is open access and available on demand Learning and teaching has never been easier!

SAGE edge for students provides a personalized approach to help students accomplish their coursework goals in an easy-to-use learning environment.

Mobile-friendly eFlashcards strengthen understanding of key terms and concepts

Mobile-friendly practice quizzes allow for independent assessment by students of their mastery of course material.

Chapter summaries with learning objectives reinforce the most important material.

EXCLUSIVE! Access to full-text SAGE journal articles that have been carefully selected to support and expand on the concepts presented in each chapter

SAGE edge for instructors supports teaching by making it easy to integrate quality content and create a rich learning environment for students.

Test banks provide a diverse range of pre-written options as well as the opportunity to edit any question and/or insert personalized questions to effectively assess students’ progress and understanding.

Sample course syllabi for semester and quarter courses provide suggested models for structuring one ’ s course.

Editable, chapter-specific PowerPoint® slides offer complete flexibility for creating a multimedia presentation for the course.

EXCLUSIVE! Access to full-text SAGE journal articles that have been carefully selected to support and expand on the concepts presented in each chapter to encourage students to think critically.

Multimedia content includes original SAGE videos that appeal to students with different learning styles.

Lecture notes summarize key concepts by chapter to ease preparation for lectures and class discussions.

A coursepack provides easy LMS integration.

Acknowledgments

My thanks first to Jeff Lasser, sociology publisher for Sage Publishing. Jeff’s consistent support has made it possible for this project to flourish, and his collegiality has even made it all rather fun Editorial assistant Adeline Wilson also contributed her outstanding talents to the success of this edition and to the quality of the Careers and Research highlights. Book production was managed with great expertise and good cheer by Veronica Stapleton Hooper, while the remarkable Amy Marks again proved herself to be one of the publishing industry’s most conscientious and effective copy editors. Assistant content development editor Sarah Dillard and acquisition editor Rachael Leblond artfully managed development of book ancillaries, artwork, and video. I am grateful to work with such talented staff at what has become the world’s best publisher in social science

I also am indebted to the first-rate social scientists Jeff Lasser recruited to provide feedback. Their thoughtful suggestions and cogent insights have helped improve every chapter in the ninth edition They are

Francis O. Adeola, University of New Orleans

William Augustine, SUNY University at Albany

Qingwen Dong, University of the Pacific

Karen Robinson, California State University San Bernardino

Jennifer Samson, Arkansas Tech University

Pam Tontodonato, Kent State University

The quality of Investigating the Social World benefits increasingly from the wisdom and creativity of my coauthors on adaptations for other markets and disciplines, as well as from the pleasure of being part of the support group that we provide each other. My profound gratitude to my Sage coauthors: Ronet Bachman (University of Delaware), Dan Chambliss (Hamilton College), Joe Check (University of Massachusetts Boston), Ray Engel (University of Pittsburgh), and Paul Nestor (University of Massachusetts Boston). And I continue to be grateful for advice shared at my biennial meeting with coauthors at the Harvard Faculty Club by Philip Brenner, Charles DiSogra, Karen Hacker, Sunshine Hillygus, Peter Marsden, Catherine Kohler Riessman, and Robert J. Sampson.

Candace Cantrell, one of our wonderful doctoral students, provided indispensable assistance for the ninth edition, checking websites, updating SPSS exercises and the SPSS appendix, helping identify SAGE articles for the introductory chapter vignettes, finding new Research in the News stories, and developing new interactive exercises for this edition. My thanks for the quality of her work and the sophistication of her skills.

Reviewers for the eighth edition were