Download or read book Social Research Matters written by Julia Brannen and published by Policy Press. This book was released on 2021-07-14 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drawing from forty years of experience, Julia Brannen offers an invaluable account of how research in family studies is conducted and ‘matters’ at particular times. An exceptional resource for family scholars and those interested in the methodology of social research.
Download or read book When Research Matters written by Frederick M. Hess and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 332 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Research Matters considers the complex and crucially important relationship between education research and policy. In examining how and under what conditions research affects education policy, the book focuses on a number of critical issues: the history of the federal role in education policy; the evolving nature of educational policy research; the role of research in debates about reading, NCLB, and "out-of-field" teaching; how research affects policy by shaping public opinion, judicial rulings, and the decisions of district and school leaders; and the incentives that help explain the behavior of researchers and policymakers. "Renewed interest in the uses of social science evidence for public policy has prompted a vigorous debate about the quality and utility of education research. The essays in this volume contribute important insights into a range of complex and contested issues. Researchers, policymakers, and consumers of education scholarship need to have this book." -- Michael J. Feuer, Executive Director of the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education in the National Research Council of the National Academies "The current devotion to 'scientifically based research' indicates great faith in the ability of research to influence policy. Yet the policy-research nexus has not been examined in recent years. Ironically, the messy complexities of the research-policy connection don't lend themselves to the research designs currently in most favor. Therefore, this book fills an important void. Under what circumstances and in what ways is research influential today? Can we create better incentives and support for the conduct and use of research that is both rigorous and relevant to policy? These and other questions make for fascinating reading." -- Susan Fuhrman, President, Teachers College, Columbia University "When Research Matters asks the questions that are rarely asked about the difficult road from research to policy. For the classroom educator, the unevenness of the road from research to policy makes the next leg of the journey--from policy to practice--that much more difficult. This volume gives us all a deeper understanding of the reasons research is often poorly translated into practice." -- Pascal D. Forgione Jr., Superintendent of Schools, Austin, Texas Frederick M. Hess is resident scholar and director of Education Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute. He is also executive editor of Education Next.
Download or read book Accountability in Social Research written by Norma Romm and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2007-05-08 with total page 326 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this book I have concentrated on drawing attention to various conceptions of accountability that might be brought to bear in judging the practice of social research. Much of the book is organized around making explicit the assumptions that influence what counts as “proper” research in society, including assumptions about how social inquirers might be held accountable. My focus is on reviewing discourses around the practice of “professional” inquiry, with a view to reconsidering the way in which people create expectations for accountable social inquiry. My focus hereon is related to my concern that the manner in which judgments about researchers’ accountability are made, is not without social consequences for our way of living in society. I have approached the issues by beginning with a discussion of tenets of the position called “positivism” (so named by certain proponents), and by considering the view on accountability that is implied by adherence to these tenets. Briefly expressed, positivist argumentation suggests that researchers are required to “do science” in a manner that warrants their being considered, indeed, scientists. I use my discussion of accountability as seen within positivist argumentation to explicate ways in which alternative positions have arisen as ways of treating accountability issues. Through my way of comparing the various positions, I hope to provide some indication of the complexity ofethical and accountability issues in social inquiry.
Download or read book Why Research Methods Matter written by Susan T. Gooden and Rajade Berry-James and published by Melvin & Leigh, Publishers. This book was released on 2018-05-01 with total page 136 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This concise resource provides practical applications of why research methods are important for public administrators, who do not routinely perform data analysis, but often find themselves having to evaluate and make important decisions based on data analysis and evaluative reports they receive. It is also intended as a supplemental text for research methods courses at the graduate level and upper division undergraduate level. Why Research Methods Matter is essential reading for current and future managers in the public sector who seek to become savvy consumers of research.
Download or read book Doing Excellent Social Research with Documents written by Aimee Grant and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-09-03 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In today’s society we increasingly create and consume written content and images. This includes a range of sources, from social media posts to records held within organisations, and everything in between, including news articles, blogs, shopping lists and official government documents. Critically reading these ‘documents’ can help us to understand a huge amount about society. Doing Excellent Social Research with Documents includes guidance on how to ‘read between the lines’, and provides an overview of six research projects which use documents as data. The substantive chapters are organised in two sections, with each chapter focused on a specific type of data. Section one focuses on documents that are found in isolation from their authors, including official and historical documents, traditional media, diaries and online content. Section two focuses on using documents in addition to existing data from primary research, including the role of documents in ethnography and visual research methods. In each chapter, you will be guided through the process of: Developing research questions, and how this impacts on which documents are selected; Considering aspects of bias and quality within the documentary sources; Undertaking analysis using six different strategies including thematic analysis, framework analysis, content analysis, discourse analysis and narrative analysis. Drawing on research projects which reflect real world situations, you will be methodically guided through the research process in detail, enabling you to examine and understand the practices and value of a range of documentary analysis approaches. Doing Excellent Social Research with Documents is a practical how-to guide for students (final year undergraduates onwards) and researchers using documents as data.
Download or read book Research Matters written by Rebecca Moore Howard and published by McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages. This book was released on 2010-01-11 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Research Matters. Make it your own. Research Matters unites research, reasoning, documentation, and composing into a cohesive whole, helping students see the conventions of writing as a network of responsibilities writers have . . . . . .to other writers. Research Matters clarifies the responsibility writers have to one another - to treat information fairly and accurately and to craft writing that is fresh and original - their own! . . .to the audience. Research Matters stresses the importance of using conventions appropriate to the audience, to write clearly, and to provide readers with the information and interpretation they need to make sense of a topic. . . .to the topic. Research Matters emphasizes the writer's responsibility to explore a topic thoroughly and creatively, to assess sources carefully, and to provide reliable information at a depth that does the topic justice. . . .to themselves. Research Matters encourages writers to take their writing seriously and to approach writing and research as an opportunity to learn about a topic and to expand their scope as writers. By framing writing in the context of responsibility, Research Matters addresses composition students as mature and capable fellow participants in the research and writing process.
Download or read book Why the Social Sciences Matter written by Jonathan Michie and published by Palgrave Macmillan. This book was released on 2015-01-09 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Published with the support of the Academy for Social Sciences, this volume provides an illuminating look at topics of concern to everyone at the beginning of the twenty-first century. Leading social scientists tackle complex questions such as immigration, unemployment, climate change, war, banks in trouble, and an ageing population.
Download or read book Methods and Issues in Social Research written by James A. Black and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 1976 with total page 476 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is designed to assist a broad variety of social researchers with the construction and application of unique measuring instruments, methods of data collection, specific statistical tools for analytical purposes, and particular approaches or study designs in order to fulfill their research objectives. The foremost objective is to help novice and professional social investigators by reviewing the traditional scientific method, examining common research strategies, providing examples to illustrate practical applications of these strategies, and to understand these strategies as tools--with both strengths and weaknesses--used to gather quantitative and qualitative data.
Download or read book Methods That Matter written by M. Cameron Hay and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2016-05-05 with total page 459 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To do research that really makes a difference -- the authors of this book argue -- social scientists need a diverse set of questions and methods, both qualitative and quantitative, in order to reflect the complexity of the world. Bringing together a consortium of voices across a variety of fields, Methods That Matter offers compelling and successful examples of mixed methods research that does just that. Discussing their own endeavors to combine quantitative and qualitative methodologies, the authors invite readers into a conversation about the best designs and practices of mixed methods to stimulate creative ideas and find new pathways of insight. The result is an engaging exploration of a promising approach to the social sciences. --
Download or read book Focus Groups in Social Research written by Michael Bloor and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2001-03-08 with total page 126 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There is an increasing divergence of focus group practice between social researchers and commercial market researchers. This book addresses the key issues and practical requirements of the social researcher, namely: the kinds of social research issues for which focus groups are most and least suitable; optimum group size and composition; and the designing of focusing exercises, facilitation and appropriate analysis. The authors use examples, drawn from their own focus groups research experience, and provide exercises for further study. They address the three main components of composition, conduct and analysis in focus group research and also acknowledge the increasing impact the Internet has had on social research by cover
Download or read book Social Research written by Tim May and published by . This book was released on 1993 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Key Concepts in Social Research written by Geoff Payne and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2004-03-18 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: `This clearly written and user-friendly book is ideal for students or researchers who wish to get a basic, but solid grasp of a topic and see how it fits with other topics. By following the links a student can easily and efficiently build up a clear conceptual map of social research′ - Malcolm Williams, Reader in Sociology, Cardiff University `This is a really useful book, written in an accessible manner for students beginning their study of social research methods. It is helpful both as an introductory text and as a reference guide for more advanced students. Most of the key topics in methods and methodology are covered and it will be suitable as a recommended text on a wide variety of courses′ - Clive Seale, Brunel University At last, an authoritative, crystal-clear introduction to research methods which really takes account of the needs of students for accessible, focused information to help with undergraduate essays and exams. The key concepts discussed here are based on a review of teaching syllabi and the authors′ experience of many years of teaching. Topics range over qualitative and quantitative approaches and combine practical considerations with philosophical issues. They include several new topics, like internet and phone polling, internet searches, and visual methods. Each section is free-standing, can be tackled in order, but with links to other sections to enable students to cross-reference and build up a wider understanding of central research methods. To facilitate comprehension and aid study, each section begins with a definition. It is followed by a summary of key points with key words and guides to further reading and up-to-date examples. The book is a major addition to undergraduate reading lists. It is reliable, allows for easy transference to essays and exams and easy to use, and exceptionally clearly written for student consumption. The book answers the needs of all those who find research methods daunting, and for those who have dreamt of an ideal introduction to the subject.
Download or read book Methods Matter written by Richard J. Murnane and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2010-09-17 with total page 416 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Educational policy-makers around the world constantly make decisions about how to use scarce resources to improve the education of children. Unfortunately, their decisions are rarely informed by evidence on the consequences of these initiatives in other settings. Nor are decisions typically accompanied by well-formulated plans to evaluate their causal impacts. As a result, knowledge about what works in different situations has been very slow to accumulate. Over the last several decades, advances in research methodology, administrative record keeping, and statistical software have dramatically increased the potential for researchers to conduct compelling evaluations of the causal impacts of educational interventions, and the number of well-designed studies is growing. Written in clear, concise prose, Methods Matter: Improving Causal Inference in Educational and Social Science Research offers essential guidance for those who evaluate educational policies. Using numerous examples of high-quality studies that have evaluated the causal impacts of important educational interventions, the authors go beyond the simple presentation of new analytical methods to discuss the controversies surrounding each study, and provide heuristic explanations that are also broadly accessible. Murnane and Willett offer strong methodological insights on causal inference, while also examining the consequences of a wide variety of educational policies implemented in the U.S. and abroad. Representing a unique contribution to the literature surrounding educational research, this landmark text will be invaluable for students and researchers in education and public policy, as well as those interested in social science.
Download or read book Social Science Research written by Anol Bhattacherjee and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2012-04-01 with total page 156 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is designed to introduce doctoral and graduate students to the process of conducting scientific research in the social sciences, business, education, public health, and related disciplines. It is a one-stop, comprehensive, and compact source for foundational concepts in behavioral research, and can serve as a stand-alone text or as a supplement to research readings in any doctoral seminar or research methods class. This book is currently used as a research text at universities on six continents and will shortly be available in nine different languages.
Download or read book The SAGE Handbook of Social Research Methods written by Pertti Alasuutari and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2008-02-25 with total page 650 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The SAGE Handbook of Social Research Methods is a must for every social-science researcher. It charts the new and evolving terrain of social research methodology, covering qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods in one volume. The Handbook includes chapters on each phase of the research process: research design, methods of data collection, and the processes of analyzing and interpreting data. The volume maintains that there is much more to research than learning skills and techniques; methodology involves the fit between theory, research questions research design and analysis. The book also includes several chapters that describe historical and current directions in social research, debating crucial subjects such as qualitative versus quantitative paradigms, how to judge the credibility of types of research, and the increasingly topical issue of research ethics. The Handbook serves as an invaluable resource for approaching research with an open mind. This volume maps the field of social research methods using an approach that will prove valuable for both students and researchers.
Download or read book Research Design in Social Research written by D. A. De Vaus and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2001-03-05 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book provides the reader with an understanding of the importance of research design and its place in the research process; describes the main types of research designs in social research; explains the logic and purposes of design to enable students to evaluate particular research strategies; equips students with the design skills to operate in real-world research situations.
Download or read book Making Sense of Social Research written by Malcolm Williams and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2003-02-24 with total page 236 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This accessible, well-judged text provides students with a matchless introduction to generic research skills.
