Research Methods and Society

Dr. Linda Dorsten is Professor of Sociology at SUNY-Fredonia.  She has served as research consultant to six state and community agencies across several states, and as an evaluator for “Steps to a Healthier U.S.,” a 5-year initiative funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Dr. Dorsten has published articles in Demography, Population Research and Policy Review, Sociology of Education, Research in Sociology of Education and Socialization, and Sociological Focus.  She also has written two textbooks on research methods, including Research Methods and Society, 1/e (with L. Hotchkiss; Prentice-Hall 2005).   Lawrence Hotchkiss is retired from the University of Delaware where he spent 20 years doing statistical consulting. He is author or coauthor of numerous journal articles, past president of the Delaware Chapter of the American Statistical Association and current Treasurer of same.  

Brief Table of Contents:

Chapter 1. Introducing Social Research
Chapter 2. Doing Social Research: An Overview of this Text
Chapter 3. Foundations of Social Research
Chapter 4. Variables and Measurement
Chapter 5. Designing Social Research
Chapter 6. Observation and Ethnography
Chapter 7. Indirect Methods
Chapter 8. Surveys
Chapter 9. Populations, Samples and Sampling
Chapter 10. Data Preparation and Analysis
Chapter 11. Data Analysis 2: Describing, Explaining and Evaluating
Chapter 12. Preparing the Report
Chapter 13. Applying Principles of "Science Learning" to Everyday Learning