Research Foundations: How Do We Know What We Know?

Synopsis

Designing Research Can Be Daunting And Disorienting For Novices. After Experiencing This First-hand, The Author Has Written A Book That Shows How To Mentally Frame Research In A Way That Is Understandable And Approachable While Also Discussing Some Of The More Specific Issues That Will Aid The Reader In Understanding The Options Available When Pursuing Their Research. --publisher's Website. Machine Generated Contents Note: Ch. 1 Visualizing Research -- Introduction -- Visualizing Research -- The Research Question -- The Process Of Research -- Conclusion -- Discussion Questions -- Ch. 2 Finding And Organizing Information -- Introduction -- Observation -- First-person Observation: Seeing It Yourself -- Qualitative Approaches To First-person Observation -- Quantitative Observational Studies And Instruments -- Media-ted Data Collection: Obtaining Data From The Middleman -- Qualitative Mediated Observation: Episodic Records -- Quantitative Mediated Observation: Running Records And Content Analysis -- Opinion Seeking: Interviews And Polling/surveys -- Qualitative Opinion Seeking: Interviews -- Quantitative Opinion Seeking: Surveys/polling -- Samples And Strategies In Polling Research -- Survey Instrument Design -- Description -- Classification And Conceptualization -- Grounding Theory -- Conclusion -- Discussion Questions -- Appendix To Chapter 2: Literature Reviews --^ Ch. 3 Causal Theory -- Introduction -- What Is Causal Theory? -- Deriving Theories Inductively And Deductively -- Inductive Reasoning -- Deductive Reasoning -- Qualitative And Quantitative Theory And Research -- Qualitative Theory And Research -- Quantitative Theory And Research -- Mixed Methods -- Theoretical Levels Of Analysis -- Main Traditions In Theory Building In The Social Sciences -- The Interpretivist Tradition: Microlevel Induction -- Rational Choice Theory: Micro- And Macrolevel Deductions -- Structuralism: Macrolevel Deduction -- Behavioralism, Positivism, And Realism: Inductive Midlevel Analysis -- Building A Theoretical Argument -- Deductive Argumentation: Syllogisms, Conditional Logic, And Mathematics -- Inductive Argumentation: Four Steps For Building A Convincing Argument -- Conclusion -- Discussion Questions -- Appendix To Chapter 3: Prisoner's Dilemma: A Simple Example Of Formal, Rational Choice Theory -- Ch. 4 Preparing To Test Hypotheses -- Introduction --^ A Typology Of Variables -- Theoretical Models -- Hypotheses -- Operationalization And Measurement -- Validity, Reliability, And Precision: In Research Projects And In Measurement -- Validity And Reliability In Research Projects -- Validity Of Measurements -- Reliability Of Measurements -- Precision Of Measurements -- Experimental Data Collection -- Quasi- And Natural Experiments -- Conclusion -- Discussion Questions -- Ch. 5 Testing Hypotheses -- Introduction -- Hypothesis Testing And The Limits Of Qualitative Research -- Hypothesis Testing Through Critical Tests -- Hypothesis Testing Through Statistical Analysis -- Statistical Significance -- Effect Size And Direction -- Types Of Statistical Tests -- Regression Analysis -- Ordinary Least Squares -- Heteroscedasticity And Other Big Words -- Regression With Limited Dependent Variables -- Logit -- Probit -- Ordered Logit And Probit -- Poisson And Negative Binomial Regression -- Survival Models -- Cross-tabulation Analysis --^ Difference-of-means Tests And Anova -- What Does It Look Like? -- Data Dredging And Hypothesis Testing -- Conclusion -- Discussion Questions -- Ch. 6 Applying Theory And Evaluating The Real World -- Introduction -- The Varied Nature Of Case Study Research -- Case Study Purpose Number 1: Understanding Theory Better -- Case Study Purpose Number 2: Understanding A Case Better -- Structured-focused Analysis/interpretative Case Study Research -- Simulations -- Theory Into Action: Praxis And Best Practices -- Research As A Cyclical Process -- Conclusion -- Discussion Questions. Douglas Woodwell. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.