Methodological Thinking: Basic Principles of Social Research Design

by Donileen R. Loseke

Overview

Focused on the underlying logic behind social research, Methodological Thinking: Basic Principles of Social Research Design encourages readers to understand research methods as a way of thinking. The book provides a concise overview of the basic principles of social research, including the characteristics of research questions, the importance of literature reviews, variations in data generation techniques, and sampling. The Second Edition includes a revised chapter on research foundations, with focus on the philosophy of science and ethics; an emphasis on critical thinking; additional attention to evaluating research; and a new selection of briefer, multidisciplinary journal articles designed to be accessible to a wide variety of readers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781506304724
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	01/29/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	208
File size:	960 KB

About the Author

Donileen R. Loseke is a Professor Emeritus in the department of sociology at the University of South Florida. She received her BA and MA in psychology (California State University, Dominguez Hills) and her PhD in sociology (University of California, Santa Barbara). Her books include Narrative Productions of Meanings: Exploring the Work of Stories in Social Life; Methodological Thinking: Basic Principles of Social Research Design, 2e; The Battered Woman and Shelters, which won the Charles Horton Cooley Award from the Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction; and Thinking About Social Problems. She also is the editor of Current Controversies on Family Violence (with Richard Gelles) and Social Problems: Constructionist Readings (with Joel Best). Numerous journal articles and book chapters report the findings of her empirical research projects, which have been on a variety of topics including evaluation research, social problems, criminal justice, social service provision, occupations, emotion, identity, and narrative and have used a variety of data generation techniques including field experiment, written survey, in-depth interview, ethnography, and document analysis. Among her editorial positions include former editor of the Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, advisory editor for Social Problems and Deputy Editor for Social Psychology Quarterly.  She received the Mead Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction and was the Past- President of the Study of Social Problems as well as Past-President of the Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction. 

 

Table of Contents

1. Exploring the World of Social Research Design
Defining Social Research
The Study of Social Research Design
Evaluating Social Research
Methodological Thinking
Studying Research Design as Methodological Thinking
Methods in Theory and in Practice
2. Foundations
Foundation I: Data, Concepts, and Theory
Foundation II: The Logic of Relationships Between Data and Concepts/Theory
Foundation III: Philosophies of Science
The Qualitative Versus Quantitative Debate
Foundations and Research Design
3. Research Questions
Characteristics of Appropriate Research Questions
Identifying Research Questions in Published Research
Creating Research Questions
Thinking Ahead: Developing Questions That Will Be Ethical and Practical to Study
Revising Research Questions
Evaluating Research Questions
Research Questions and Research Design
4. Literature Reviews
Defining "The Literature"
Existing Knowledge as Tools for Research Design
Defining the Relevant Literature
Thinking About the Review Task
The Contents and Form of Literature Reviews
Evaluating Literature Reviews
Literature Reviews and Research Design
Examples of Social Research Article Databases
5. Measurement
Conceptualization and Conceptual Definitions
Operationalization and Operational Definitions
Conceptualization and Operationalization in Research Led by Inductive Reasoning
Measurement Problems in Social Research
Evaluating Measurement
Measurement and Research Design
6. Data Generation Techniques
Research Questions and Data
Data Generation Techniques
Planning Ahead
Data Generation Techniques and Research Design
7. Samples
Populations and Samples in Social Research
The Importance of Samples in Social Research
Probability Samples
Non-probability Samples
Evaluating Samples in Published Research
Samples and Research Design
8. Summary: Thinking About Social Research Design
Foundations of Research Design and Evaluation: Methodological Thinking
Evaluating Research Design: Variations
Assessing Research Quality
Characteristics of High-Quality Reports of Research Design
Ending and Beginnings
Appendix: Suggestions for Further Reading
Appendix: Articles Used as Examples

Editorial Reviews

Methodological Thinking is a highly accessible, practical guide to the often-intimidating process of designing a research project. An excellent starting point for an undergraduate course in social research fundamentals, full of useful examples and uncomplicated explanations of the starting stages of the research process.

Adam Driscoll

The second edition of Methodological Thinking has only improved upon the first edition, by focusing more attention on critical issues related to sampling and ethics, along with a broader examination of the epistemology underlying social science research. This book is useful as a “go-to” reference on designing social science research and is excellent as a primary text at all levels of college.

Todd L. Matthews

Methodological Thinking helps students move past their preconceptions of research to critically engage in research design while enhancing skills that will help them evaluate information in their daily lives.

Joseph V. Ross

This concise, approachable book with clear examples from published articles is a useful supplement to long, detailed, technical methodology texts that students sometimes find overwhelming and inaccessible.

Tracy L. Johns