Previous edition: published as by Francis C. Dane, 2011.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 301-322) and index.

1. Introduction. Overview ; Introduction ; Definitions ; Goals of Research ; Exploration ; Description ; Prediction ; Explanation ; Action ; Evaluation of Research ; Who ; What ; Where ; When ; Why ; How ; Ethics of Consuming Research ; Ethical Principles of Research ; Respect for Persons ; Beneficence ; Justice ; Trust ; Scientific Integrity ; Summary ; Exercises -- 2. The Scientific Approach. Overview ; Introduction ; A Philosophy of Science ; When Is Something True? ; How Can We Tell Which Theory Is Better? ; How Can We Put What We Know Into Practice? ; Why Do We Do It the Way We Do? ; Science and Nonscience Compared ; Observation ; Logical Analysis ; Research Reports ; Definitive Studies ; Determinism ; Summary ; Exercises -- 3. Reading a Research Report. Overview ; Introduction ; Research Report Organization ; Introduction ; General Context ; Literature Review ; Hypothesis or Purpose Statement ; The Method Section ; Participants ; Sampling ; Materials and Measures ; Research Design ; Manipulations ; Data Analyses ; The Results Section ; Preliminary Results ; Main Results ; The Discussion Section ; Other Sections ; Abstract ; References ; Digital Appendix ; Summary ; Exercises -- 4. Accessing Research. Overview ; Introduction ; Choosing a Topic ; Operationalization ; Finding Research ; Published Sources ; Key Topics ; Key Authors ; Key Studies ; Unpublished Studies ; Maintaining Records ; Summary ; Exercises -- 5. Sampling. Overview ; Introduction ; Sampling Distributions ; Population Versus Sample ; Random Selection ; Standard Error ; Confidence Intervals ; Sample Size ; Probability Sampling ; Simple Random Sampling ; Systematic Random Sampling ; Stratified Random Sampling ; Cluster Sampling ; Nonprobability Sampling ; Convenience Sampling ; Purposive Sampling ; Quota Sampling ; Snowball Sampling ; Representative Samples ; Summary ; Exercises -- 6. Measurement. Overview ; Introduction ; Dimensionality ; Measurement Levels ; Nominal Measurement ; Ordinal Measurement ; Interval Measurement ; Ratio Measurement ; Reliability ; Interrater Reliability ; Test-Retest Reliability ; Alternate-Forms Reliability ; Split-Half Reliability ; Item-Total Reliability ; Validity ; Face Validity ; Concurrent Validity ; Predictive Validity ; Construct Validity ; Epistemic Correlation ; Scaling ; Common Aspects of Scales ; Face Validity of Scale Items ; Item Bias ; Formats for Scale Items ; Types of Scales ; Thurstone Scales ; Likert Scales ; Guttman Scales ; Semantic Differential Scales ; Q-Sort Scales ; Sociometric Scales ; Summary ; Exercises -- 7. Experimental Research. Overview ; Introduction ; Causal Analysis in Experimental Research ; Temporal Priority ; Control Over Variables ; Random Assignment ; Demonstration versus Demography ; Alternative Explanations for Research Results ; History Effects ; Maturation Effects ; Testing Effects ; Instrumentation Effects ; Statistical Regression Effects ; Selection Effects ; Attrition Effects ; Participant Bias ; Experimenter Bias ; Experimental Design ; The Basic Design ; The Basic Pretest Design ; The Solomon Four-Group Design ; Factorial Design ; Within-Subjects Design ; Split Plot Design ; Participant Characteristics ; Demonstration versus Demography Again ; Summary ; Exercises -- 8. Nonexperimental Research. Overview ; Introduction ; Time-Series Designs ; Interrupted Time-Series Design ; Multiple Time-Series Design ; Regression ; Discontinuity Designs ; Nonequivalent Groups Basic Pretest Designs ; Self-Selection ; Correlational Research ; Research Involving Existing Data ; Raw Data ; Aggregate Data ; Methodological Issues in Existing Data Analysis ; Single-Participant Designs ; Case Study Design ; Baseline Design ; Withdrawal Design ; Summary ; Exercises -- 9. Survey Research. Overview ; Introduction ; Survey Content ; Survey Instruments ; Survey Topics ; Survey Instructions ; Survey Formats ; Arrangement of Survey Items ; Pretesting Survey Instruments ; Administering Surveys ; Face-To-Face Interviews ; Telephone Interviews ; Mail Surveys ; Data Analyses in Survey Research ; Description ; Association ; Elaboration ; Summary ; Exercises -- 10. Qualitative Research. Overview ; Introduction ; Phenomenological Method ; Ethnography ; Grounded Theory ; Narrative Inquiry ; Historical Research ; Content Analysis ; Who ; The Source of Messages ; Says What ; The Content of Messages ; To Whom ; The Audience of Messages ; How ; Communication Techniques in Messages ; With What Effect ; The Effect of Messages ; Why ; The Reasons for Communication ; Methodological Issues in Content Analysis ; Case Study ; Mixed Method Research ; Summary ; Exercises -- 11. Conceptual Overview of Statistical Analyses. Overview ; Introduction ; Types of Data ; Types of Statistics ; Single-Sample Statistics ; Central Tendency ; Variability ; Graphic Presentations ; Chi-Square Test of Fit ; Relational Statistics ; Chi-Square Test for Association ; Correlation ; Factor Analysis ; Regression ; Group Differences ; Comparison of Two Groups ; Comparison of More Than Two Groups ; Summary ; Exercises.