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