The Handbook of Applied Social Research Methods shows how to make intelligent and conscious decisions so that researchers can refine and hone their research questions as new knowledge is gained, unanticipated obstacles are encountered, or contextual shifts take place - all key elements in the iterative nature of applied research. With examples and illustrations from the authors' own experiences, this book gives readers a practical guide to conducting applied research.

Clear guidance on how to conduct successful small-scale research projects and adds even more value by including new sections on internet research, phenomenology, grounded theory and image-based methods. The book provides: a clear summary of the relevant strategies, methods and approaches to data analysis a jargon-free coverage of the key issues an attractive layout and user-friendly presentation checklists to guide good practice. Practical and comprehensive,The Good Research Guideis an invaluable tool for students of education, health studies, business studies and other social sciences, who need to conduct small-scale research projects as part of undergraduate, postgraduate or professional studies.

''Appreciative users of this volume will be students, faculty, and researchers in academic, special, and large public libraries, for whom it is recommended'' - Library Journal ''The compilers of this impressive, unique work claim it "brings together, in one place, authoritative essays on virtually all social science methods topics, both quantitative and qualitative" – a claim examination supports. More than 400 contributors from the US and abroad present approximately 1,000 comprehensive, in-depth, well-referenced entries that vary in length from 50 to 2,500 words. The attractively designed and produced volumes, 1,351 total pages, consist of easily legible text and figures, the front matter occupying 46 pages and the index 40.... This defining work will be valuable to readers and researchers in social sciences and humanities at all academic levels. As a teaching resource it will be useful to instructors and students alike and will become a standard reference source. Essential for general and academic collections'' - Choice SAGE Reference is proud to announce The SAGE Encyclopedia of Social Science Research Methods, a three-volume resource that is a first of its kind, developed by the leading publisher of social science research methods books and journals. This unique multi-volume reference set offers readers an all-encompassing education in the ways of social science researchers. Written to be accessible to general readers, entries do not require any advanced knowledge or experience to understand the purposes and basic principles of any of the methods. The Encyclopedia features two major types of entries: definitions, consisting of a paragraph or two, which provide a quick explanation of a methodological term; and topical treatments or essays, discussing the nature, history, application/example and implication of using a certain method. Also included are suggested readings and references for future study. To help provide a more complete explanation than is often achieved within the scope of a single article, key terms and concepts appear in small capital letters to refer readers to related terms explained elsewhere. In addition to epistemological issues that influence the nature of research questions and assumptions, The SAGE Encyclopedia of Social Science Research Methods tackles topics not normally viewed as part of social science research methodology, from philosophical issues such as poststructuralism to advanced statistical techniques. In covering the full range of qualitative and quantitative data analyses, this key reference offers an integrated approach that allows the reader to choose the most appropriate and robust techniques to apply to each situation. Many entries treat traditional topics in a novel way, stimulating both interest and new perspectives. One example is the entry Econometrics, by Professor Damodar Gujarati. Following a process which many educators preach but seldom practice, Gujarati walks the reader twice through the research process from economic theory to data and models to analysis, once in principle and a second time with an example. In using the ordinary process of economic research to achieve an extraordinary impact, he leaves the reader thinking not only about methods and models but also the fundamental purpose of econometrics. Topics Covered: - Analysis of Variance - Association and Correlation - Basic Qualitative Research - Basic Statistics - Causal Modeling (Structural Equations) - Discourse/Conversation Analysis - Econometrics - Epistemology - Ethnography - Evaluation - Event History Analysis - Experimental Design - Factor Analysis and Related Techniques - Feminist Methodology - Generalized Linear Models - Historical/Comparative - Interviewing in Qualitative Research - Latent Variable Model - Life History/Biography - Loglinear Models (Categorical Dependent Variables) - Longitudinal Analysis - Mathematics and Formal Models - Measurement Level - Measurement Testing and Classification - Multiple Regression - Multilevel Analysis - Qualitative Data Analysis - Sampling in Surveys - Sampling in Qualitative Research - Scaling - Significance Testing - Simple Regression - Survey Design - Time Series Key Features: - Over 900 entries arranged A to Z Each entry is written by a leading authority in the field, covering both quantitative and qualitative methods - Covers all disciplines within the social sciences - Contains both concise definitions and in-depth essays - Three volumes and more than 1500 pages