Introduction to Research Methods: A Hands-On Approach

Introduction to Research Methods: A Hands-On Approach makes learning research methods easy for students by giving them activities they can experience and do on their own. With clear, simple, and even humorous prose, this text offers students a straightforward introduction to an exciting new world of social science and behavioral research. Rather than making research seem intimidating, author Bora Pajo shows students how research can be an easy, ongoing conversation on topics that matter in their lives. Each chapter includes real research examples that illustrate specific topics that the chapter covers, guides that help students explore actual research challenges in more depth, and ethical considerations relating to specific chapter topics.

3 Reasons Why You’ll Want to Read This Book

1. Conducting research can be fun when you see it in terms that relate to your everyday life.

2. Knowing how to do research will open many doors for you in your career. It will open your mind to new ideas on what you might pursue in the future (e.g., becoming an entrepreneur, opening your own nongovernmental organization, or running your own health clinic), and give you an extra analytic skill to brag about in your job interviews.

3. Understanding research will make you an educated consumer. You will be able to evaluate the information before you and determine what to accept and what to reject. Truth be told, understanding research will save you money in the short and long term*.

*From Chapter 1 of Introduction to Research Methods: A Hands-On Approach

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 The Purpose of Research
Chapter 2 Formulating a Research Question
Chapter 3 Researching and Writing the Literature Review
Chapter 4 Quantitative Designs
Chapter 5 Measurement Errors, Reliability, Validity
Chapter 6 Sampling
Chapter 7 Data Collection for Quantitative Research
Chapter 8 Secondary Data
Chapter 9 Entering and Organizing Quantitative Data
Chapter 10 Analyzing Quantitative Data
Chapter 11 Qualitative Designs And Data Collection: Understanding What Behavior Means in Context
Chapter 12 Entering, Coding, and Analyzing Qualitative Data
Chapter 13 Results and Discussion
Chapter 14 Presenting Your Research