The Practice of Social Research

Chapter Four.  Research Design

Preview

THREE PURPOSES OF RESEARCH
    Exploration
    Description
    Explanation 
THE LOGIC OF NOMOTHETIC EXPLANATION
    Criteria for Nomothetic Causality
    False Criteria for Nomothetic Causality
    Necessary and Sufficient Causes
UNITS OF ANALYSIS
    Individuals
    Groups
    Organizations
    Social Artifacts
    Units of Analysis in Review
    Faulty Reasoning About Units of Analysis: The Ecological Fallacy and Reductionism
THE TIME DIMENSION
    Cross-Sectional Studies
    Longitudinal Studies
    Approximating Longitudinal Studies
    Examples of Research Strategies
HOW TO DESIGN A RESEARCH PROJECT
    Getting Started
    Conceptualization
    Choice of Research Method
    Operationalization
    Population and Sampling
    Observations
    Data Processing
    Analysis
    Application
    Research Design in Review
THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL
    Elements of a Research Proposal
 


Web Resources

The Internet Public Library, Social Sciences Resources
    http://www.ipl.org/ref/RR/static/soc00.00.00.html

University of Calgary, Beginner’s Guide to the Research Proposal
    http://www.ucalgary.ca/md/CAH/research/res_prop.htm

Anthony W. Heath, “The Proposal in Qualitative Research”
    http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR3-1/heath.html