Understanding the Social World
Research Methods for the 21st Century

Second Edition

Russell K. Schutt - University of Massachusetts Boston, USA

Additional resources:

January 2020 | 368 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc

The author is a proud sponsor of the 2020 SAGE Keith Roberts Teaching Innovations Award—enabling graduate students and early career faculty to attend the annual ASA pre-conference teaching and learning workshop.

Understanding the Social World: Research Methods for the 21st Century is a concise and accessible introduction to the process and practice of social science research. Fast-paced and visually engaging, the text crosses disciplinary and national boundaries, pays special attention to concern for human subjects, and focuses on the application of results. As it rises to the requirements of a world shaped by big data and social media, Instagram and avatars, blogs and tweets, the text also confronts the research challenges posed by cell phones, privacy concerns, linguistic diversity, and multicultural populations.

The Second Edition discusses newly-popular research methods, highlights the fascinating work being conducted by contemporary social researchers, and includes enhanced tools for learning in the text and online.

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ISBN: 9781544334684	Paperback	Suggested Retail Price: $100.00	Bookstore Price: $80.00
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About the Author

Preface

Acknowledgments

Section I. Foundations for Social Research

Chapter 1. Science, Society, and Social Research

The Value of Social Research

Avoiding Errors in Reasoning About the Social World

Research in the News: Social Media Use Is Linked to a Fear of Crime

Types of Social Research

Quantitative and/or Qualitative Methods

Careers and Research: Jessica LeBlanc, Research Assistant

Conclusions

Key Terms

Highlights

Chapter Questions

Practice Exercises

Chapter 2. The Process and Problems of Social Research

Social Research Questions

Social Research Preparation

Social Theories

Social Research Strategies

Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Designs

Social Research Standards

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Careers and Research: Kristin M. Curtis, M.A., Senior Research Program Coordinator, the Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs at Rutgers University—Camden

Conclusions

Key Terms

Highlights

Chapter Questions

Practice Exercises

Chapter 3. Research Ethics

Historical Background

Ethical Principles

The Institutional Review Board

Research in the News: The Tricky Ethics of Using YouTube Videos for Academic Research

Careers and Research: Manan Nayak, Senior Project Director

Conclusions

Key Terms

Highlights

Chapter Questions

Practice Exercises

Section II. Fundamentals of Social Research

Chapter 4. Conceptualization and Measurement

Concepts

From Concepts to Indicators

From Observations to Concepts

Measurement Alternatives

Research in the News: Are You Really as Happy as You Say You Are?

Levels of Measurement

Careers and Research: Camila Mejia, Market Researcher

Units of Analysis

Evaluating Measures

Conclusions

Key Terms

Highlights

Chapter Questions

Practice Exercises

Chapter 5. Generalizability and Sampling

Sample Planning

Sampling Methods

Research in the News: Department of Justice Requests Citizenship Questions Be Added to Census

Careers and Research: Tyler Evans, Account Supervisor

Generalizability in Qualitative Research

Conclusions

Key Terms

Highlights

Chapter Questions

Practice Exercises

Chapter 6. Causation and Experimental Design

Causal Explanations and Experimental Design

Meeting the Criterion of Nonspuriousness

Careers and Research: Amanda Aykanian, Research Associate

Research in the News: Jeff Sessions Claims the ACLU Caused a Spike in Chicago Homicides

Validity in Experimental Designs

Ethical Issues in Experimental Research

Conclusions

Key Terms

Highlights

Chapter Questions

Practice Exercises

Section III. Basic Social Research Designs

Chapter 7. Survey Research

Survey Research in the Social Sciences

Writing Survey Questions

Designing Questionnaires

Careers and Research: Rebecca Hooper, Population Health and Quality Analytics Coordinator

Research in the News: Why Expanding Health-Care Access Must Include Immigrants

Errors in Survey Research

Organizing Surveys

Ethical Issues in Survey Research

Conclusions

Key Terms

Highlights

Chapter Questions

Practice Exercises

Chapter 8. Qualitative Methods

Fundamentals of Qualitative Methods

Careers and Research: Evan Stewart, Assistant Professor of Sociology & Editor of Sociological Images

Research in the News: What Katrina Taught Us About Disaster Mental Health

Primary Qualitative Methods

Ethical Issues in Qualitative Research

Conclusions

Key Terms

Highlights

Chapter Questions

Practice Exercises

Chapter 9. Unobtrusive Methods

Unobtrusive Measures of Behavior

Secondary Data Analysis

Research in the News: Should There Be Cameras in Courtrooms?

Careers and Research: Isaac Yablo, Data & Statistics Coordinator

Big Data

Historical and Comparative Research Methods

Content Analysis

Ethical Issues in Unobtrusive Methods

Conclusions

Key Terms

Highlights

Chapter Questions

Practice Exercises

Section IV. Analysis and Reporting of Social Research

Chapter 10. Quantitative Data Analysis

Introducing Statistics

Displaying Univariate Distributions

Summarizing Univariate Distributions

Research in the News: Through a Data Set, Darkly

Crosstabs

Careers and Research: Claire Wulf Winiarek, Director, Federal Agency Division

Data Ethically

Conclusions

Key Terms

Highlights

Chapter Questions

Chapter 11. Qualitative Data Analysis

Features of Qualitative Data Analysis

Techniques of Qualitative Data Analysis

Alternatives in Qualitative Data Analysis

Visual Sociology

Careers and Research: Laura Golden, Research Project Director

Systematic Observation

Computer-Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis

Ethics In Qualitative Data Analysis

Research in the News: Offering Health Check-Ups in Barbershops Could Transform Health Care for Black Men in America

Conclusions

Key Terms

Highlights

Chapter Questions

Practice Exercises

Chapter 12. Summarizing and Reporting Research

Writing Research

Research in the News: How Scientists Contribute to Bad Science Reporting

Careers and Research: Julia Schutt, Project Manager

Presenting Research

Ethics, Politics, and Research Reports

Plagiarism

Conclusions

Key Terms

Highlights

Chapter Questions

Practice Exercises

Appendix A: Questions to Ask About a Research Article

Appendix B: How to Read a Research Article

Glossary

Bibliography

Index

On the Study Site

edge.sagepub.com/schuttusw2

Appendix C: Table of Random Numbers

Appendix D: How to Use a Statistical Package

Appendix E: Annotated List of Web Sites

Supplements

Student Study Site

SAGE Edge for Students provides a personalized approach to help students accomplish their coursework goals in an easy-to-use learning environment.

Mobile-friendly eFlashcards strengthen understanding of key terms and concepts
Mobile-friendly practice quizzes allow for independent assessment by students of their mastery of course material
Open-access research articles that have been carefully selected to support and expand on the concepts presented in each chapter

Instructor Resource Site

Instructor Teaching Site (Password Protected)

SAGE Edge for Instructors, supports your teaching by making it easy to integrate quality content and create a rich learning environment for students.

Test banks provide a diverse range of pre-written options as well as the opportunity to edit any question and/or insert your own personalized questions to effectively assess students’ progress and understanding
Editable, chapter-specific PowerPoint® slides offer complete flexibility for creating a multimedia presentation for your course.
Lecture notes summarize key concepts by chapter to help you prepare for lectures and class discussions
Chapter-specific discussion questions help launch engaging classroom interaction while reinforcing important content
Open-access research videos with accompanying assessment options bring the research process to life

Key features

NEW TO THIS EDITION:

New discussions show the diverse practices of contemporary research at work: searching the web, conducting systematic literature reviews, using unobtrusive measures and combining measurement methods, sampling on the internet, building online panels, designing community-engaged research, and presenting research results.
Timely and engaging examples show the connection between research and contemporary social issues, such as the impact of the internet on social relations, responses to domestic violence, the causes of crime, and the consequences of inequality.
The latest research techniques from current social science literature are discussed, demonstrating how researchers are responding to important social changes.
Coverage of current controversies, such as including citizenship question in 2020 census and the concept of a "living wage," stimulate student engagement with national policy questions.
Expanded explanations of the basic methods provide a stronger foundation for understanding the logic and process of social research.
New tools to aid student research include connections to sources of questions from General Social Survey, guidance on research presentations, steps added to guide qualitative data analysis, instruction son conducting community engaged qualitative research.

KEY FEATURES:

Designed for instructors seeking much more streamlined coverage of research essentials.
Engaging writing, clear descriptions, and contemporary examples speak directly to students about how research is done and reported, and its relevance to their own lives.
The book reflects the most current research practices such as the increased use of visual methods, web surveys, smartphones, and social media.
Strong coverage of research ethics, with an early chapter devoted to the topic, as well as a section on ethics in each research design chapter.
"Careers and Research" and "Research in the News" show students career prospects and the relevance of the research methods course to their lives, both personal and professional.
SAGE Edge provides students helpful tools, including eFlashcards, practice quizzes, and more, in one easy-to-use online environment.