Practical Social Research is a working guide to doing 'real life' research in the local community. Based on the authors' own practice, it proposes a partnership between students and community organisations that both meets community needs and developes students' research skills. The book provides detailed coverage of the 'scientific', ethnographic and feminist traditions in social research data collection and analysis, together with information on how to go about negotiating viable projects, developing personal transferable skills, and presenting and assessing reports.

This book describes an action research approach to engaging respectfully with First Nations communities in a diverse range of contexts, disciplines and projects. It offers a valuable guide for professionals, students and teaching staff that recognises all participants as equal partners while acknowledging the diversity of First Peoples and culture, and prioritising local knowledge. While the book is adaptable to a diverse range of cultures and disciplines, it is specifically focused on cross-cultural collaborative case studies in Noongar Country, which is located in the southwest of Western Australia. The case studies demonstrate how action research can be applied not only in the traditional areas of education and social justice, but also in a diverse range of disciplines, communities and circumstances, including media, education, environmental management and health. The book's aim is to highlight successful cross-cultural First Nations community projects and to discuss each one in terms of its action research philosophy and process. In this regard, the voices of the participants are prioritised, especially those of First Nations communities. While this book is specifically pitched at Australian readers, the action research approach described may be adapted and applied to many cross-cultural collaborative relationships, making it of interest and value to international students and researchers.

A volume in Emerging Technologies for Evolving Learners Series Editors Kathleen P. King and Mark Gura, Fordham University This book introduces and explains this important new technology from the perspective of educators. It also provides new insights into the ways that technology can provide solutions to instructional needs that have not been sufficiently addressed until now. Not only does it provide concrete explanations, examples, models, and details about methods and resources that are not currently illustrated in other publications, but it also reveals a new rationale for the use of technology in education.This book helps readers apprehend critical issues essential to understanding and taking advantage of podcasting and related technologies as an educational resource: What podcasting is How ""to do"" podcasting How to plan podcasting-based activities for students How to create podcasts as teaching resources How to use podcasting for professional development Models developed specifically by the authors regarding: Podcast development Educators' learning curve in podcasting Cost/benefit decision making regarding podcasting projects K -- 12 school district directors of curriculum and instruction and directors of professional development, as well as classroom teachers, principals, and instructional supervisors across the core curriculum and in the area of Instructional Technology; and teacher educators and other college faculty will find this book a valuable resource. Readers may use the book as part of their own efforts to expand their teaching or staff development practice. It can also be an important resource for Education courses in content instruction and Instructional Technology and serve as a valuable reference for educators interested in educational applications of technology.What you will find in this revised and updated edition? New for this edition are valuable additional insights and updates related to our additional years of experience in podcasting and new media. Critical updated URLs, screenshots, software comparisons, data, some fresh new curricular examples, and included references to our new series, The Teachers' Podcast and Transformation Education LIVE! We have also upgraded statistical information, advancements from the podcasting world, references, and biographical information. In short, the book is better than ever, in part because of suggestions form our many readers who are, teachers learners, and podcast listeners of course! The 16 chapters of the book are divided into the following major sections: PART I. A REVOLUTION IN OUR POCKETS PART II. PODCASTING ""HOW TO"" BASICS PART III. BECOMING A PODCASTING EDUCATOR

The overall aim of this book, an outcome of the European FP7 FET Open NESS project, is to contribute to the ongoing effort to put the quantitative social sciences on a proper footing for the 21st century. A key focus is economics, and its implications on policy making, where the still dominant traditional approach increasingly struggles to capture the economic realities we observe in the world today - with vested interests getting too often in the way of real advances. Insights into behavioral economics and modern computing techniques have made possible both the integration of larger information sets and the exploration of disequilibrium behavior. The domain-based chapters of this work illustrate how economic theory is the only branch of social sciences which still holds to its old paradigm of an equilibrium science - an assumption that has already been relaxed in all related fields of research in the light of recent advances in complex and dynamical systems theory and related data mining. The other chapters give various takes on policy and decision making in this context. Written in nontechnical style throughout, with a mix of tutorial and essay-like contributions, this book will benefit all researchers, scientists, professionals and practitioners interested in learning about the 'thinking in complexity' to understand how socio-economic systems really work.

Models of Society and Complex Systems introduces readers to a variety of different mathematical tools used for modelling human behaviour and interactions, and the complex social dynamics that drive institutions, conflict, and coordination. What laws govern human affairs? How can we make sense of the complexity of societies and how do individual actions, characteristics, and beliefs interact? Social systems follow regularities which allow us to answer these questions using different mathematical approaches. This book emphasises both theory and application. It systematically introduces mathematical approaches, such as evolutionary and spatial game theory, social network analysis, agent-based modelling, and chaos theory. It provides readers with the necessary theoretical background of each toolset as well as the underlying intuition, while each chapter includes exercises and applications to real-world phenomena. By looking behind the surface of various social occurrences, the reader uncovers the reasons why social systems exhibit both cultural universals and at the same time a diversity of practices and norms to a degree that even surpasses biological variety, or why some riots turn into revolutions while others do not even make it into the news. This book is written for any scholar in the social sciences interested in studying and understanding human behaviour, social dynamics, and the complex systems of society. It does not expect readers to have a particular background apart from some elementary knowledge and affinity for mathematics.

NOTE: This is the bound book only and does not include access to the Enhanced Pearson eText. To order the Enhanced Pearson eText packaged with a bound book, use ISBN: 0133909069. A reader-friendly approach to statistics in social work practice. Statistics for Social Workers, 9/e familiarizes students with statistical tests and analyses that are most likely to be encountered by social work researchers and practitioners. This reader-friendly title emphasizes the conceptual underpinning of statistical analyses, keeping mathematics and complicated formulae to a minimum. Readers require no prior knowledge of statistics and only basic mathematical competence. Improve mastery and retention with the Enhanced Pearson eText The Enhanced Pearson eText provides a rich, interactive learning environment designed to improve student mastery of content. The Enhanced Pearson eText is: Engaging. The new interactive, multimedia learning features were developed by the authors and other subject-matter experts to deepen and enrich the learning experience. Convenient. Enjoy instant online access from your computer or download the Pearson eText App to read on or offline on your iPad (R) and Android (R) tablet.* Affordable. Experience the advantages of the Enhanced Pearson eText along with all the benefits of print for 40% to 50% less than a print bound book. *The Pearson eText App is available on Google Play and in the App Store. It requires Android OS 3.1-4, a 7" or 10" tablet, or iPad iOS 5.0 or later.

Sooner or later anyone who does statistical analysis runs into problems with missing data in which information for some variables is missing for some cases. Why is this a problem? Because most statistical methods presume that every case has information on all the variables to be included in the analysis. Using numerous examples and practical tips, this book offers a nontechnical explanation of the standard methods for missing data (such as listwise or casewise deletion) as well as two newer (and, better) methods, maximum likelihood and multiple imputation. Anyone who has been relying on ad-hoc methods that are statistically inefficient or biased will find this book a welcome and accessible solution to their problems with handling missing data.

Using clear examples of research problems and possibilities, this book shows students how to design and do their own criminological research. Each chapter integrates research theory and practice as the text explains a variety of methods in undergraduate and professional contexts. It is the ideal resource for all students researching crime.

The Handbook series provides a compendium of thorough and integrative literature reviews on a diverse array of topics of interest to the higher education scholarly and policy communities. Each chapter provides a comprehensive review of research findings on a selected topic, critiques the research literature in terms of its conceptual and methodological rigor, and sets forth an agenda for future research intended to advance knowledge on the chosen topic.

Most Asian countries have shown a strong commitment to rapid economic development. Economists have argued that the fruits from economic development will be spread equitably throughout the population. In the absence of a strong tradition of social rights, social development in Asia has long been taken for granted. This collection documents social development in the Asian countries of China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand and India and concludes that social development has lagged behind economic development. This has given rise to `distorted development' in many countries. Serious development problems of poverty and inequalities have lingered even in these economically advanced countries of Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore. These problems have been exacerbated in the wake of the Asian economic crisis. In order to harmonize social development with economic growth, Asian states ought to be more proactive in their development agendas. As a text on social development in Asia, this book is primarily intended for practitioners and students of social work, social administration, and social policy. It is also relevant for students and practitioners of sociology, economics, and public policy.

The material in this user-friendly text is presented as simply as possible to ensure that students will gain a solid understanding of statistical procedures and analysis. The goal of this book is to demystify and present statistics in a clear, cohesive manner. The student is presented with rules of evidence and the logic behind those rules. The book is divided into three major units: Descriptive Statistics, Inferential Statistics, and Advanced Topics in Inferential Statistics. Every effort has been made to keep the writing as clear as possible and always aimed at the student's life space. Computational procedures are laid out in a step-by-step, programmed format. This is a straightforward presentation of the essentials of statistical analysis emphasizing the constant interaction between statistical techniques and the resarch methodology.

For undergraduate Psychology courses in statistics and research methods. A forward-looking text that combines research methods and statistics, this book is valuable for a single course or a two-semester sequence that covers what have traditionally been two separate courses.

This book is designed to provide a conceptually-oriented introduction to multiple regression. It is divided into two main parts: the author concentrates on multiple regression analysis in the first part and structural equation modeling in the second part.

This text is intended for instructors who emphasize teaching students how to locate, read, and interpret, and apply the findings of educational research studies. This revision addresses how to design and conduct a research study in more detail. The text includes numerous recent, published research articles involving high-interest problems of educational practice. The chapters, which treat quantitative, qualitative, and applied forms of educational research, stand alone, allowing instructors to choose those they want to cover. This text brings research alive for educators by introducing readers to people who actually "do" research. Designed for courses focused primarily on applying, rather than conducting research, it includes 13 actual research articles, reprinted in their entirety. The book makes no assumptions about readers' prior knowledge of research or statistics. This text builds students' confidence so that they are able to successfully read research reports and research. For the first time, readers will see the relevance of research to educational practice.

A main text for courses in action research or a supplement to courses in research methods in education A step-by-step guide to action research with a balanced coverage of qualitative and quantitative methods. Known for its practical, step-by-step guidance for teachers on how to do research in classrooms, Action Research: a Guide for the Teacher Researcher was born from the author's own experience working with teachers and principals. The author guides future educators through the action research process via numerous concrete illustrations; positioning it as a fundamental component of teaching, alongside curriculum development, assessment, and classroom management. From reviews of the book: "Mills' writing style is informative, direct, and personalized and his expertise as a researcher is evident throughout the textbook. He fully understands the uniqueness of teacher-centered research. . . . The language and the illustration cater to the classroom research contexts and it is easy to understand and apply." -Adel Al-Bataineh, Illinois State University "The book emphasizes the importance of reflection and creating an action plan. . . . Examples of action research papers are included. There are study sites, videos, slides and other supplemental materials available for the students to consult for ancillary learning. The writing style is clear, interesting and engaging. Throughout the text, Mills offers the reader a research scenario that helps to position him or her around the theme of the chapter and context of the research phase. This helps to alleviate some of the anxiety students of action research may experience as they begin each aspect of the action research process." -Beverly Melenyzer, California University of Pennsylvania "[T]he survey examples, SurveyMonkey, and direct observation examples are very good, as well as the informal interview, making records, [and] data collection techniques. . . . [T]he section on re-aligning the focus and action research plan is very good. I find my students doing this as they are doing their literature review and understanding that they need to narrow the scope of their research. I like the example of doing AR in Ch. 6. . . . I like the inclusion of the data analysis, sample interview and other models of how to analyze data. . . . The key strengths of the project are the authentic examples of AR." -Mary Frances Agnello, Texas Tech University

This text provides comprehensive coverage of research methods and statistics in a readable and student-friendly format. A wide variety of methodologies-including descriptive, experimental and quasi-experimental research, historical studies, qualitative methods, and single subject designs-are covered. A complete range of research tools as well as descriptive and inferential statistics are also included, making this text the definitive resource for introductory research courses. Research in Education is divided into three parts: Part I, "Introduction to Educational Research," focuses on the purpose of research, hypotheses, ethics in research, developing a research problem, and writing proposals and reports; Part II, "Research Methods," is unique in that it integrates chapters on qualitative research methods, historical research, and single-subject methods with the more typical chapters on experimental methods; and Part III, "Data Analysis," includes both descriptive and inferential statistics, as well as examples of analyses using a computer.

Explores the entire range of research methodologies in psychology. This comprehensive text uses a carefully constructed programmatic approach to introduce topics and systematically build on earlier presentations. Research Methods emphasizes research concepts, as well as specific, technical research strategies, to help students develop an understanding of the underlying rational-empirical processes of science and gain specific research skills. The authors provide clearly written explanations of concepts and numerous examples drawn from all areas of psychology to enable students to develop a sophisticated understanding of the research process. The 8th edition includes an extensive integrated Web site (http: //www.mikeraulin.com/graziano8e/) with a variety of resources for students. Learning Goals Upon completing this book readers will be able to: * Understand the concepts of research design * Develop research skills based on a knowledge of appropriate research design * Develop a sensitivity to ethical issues in research and the skills necessary to address these issues * Understand basic statistical concept

This text provides a streamlined and accessible introduction to statistics for students in sociology, criminal justice, political science, social work, and other social sciences. This edition of the text offers an essential and accessible overview to the introduction to social statistics. Clearly written with detailed step-by-step illustrations of statistical procedures, the text provides clear and logical explanations for the rationale and use of statistical methods of social research. Numerous end-of-chapter questions in every chapter reinforce key concepts to students.

For courses in Research Methods, Reading and Understanding Research, and Quantitative Methods/Statistics. This uniquely accessible text shows precisely how to decipher and critique statistically-based research reports. Praised for its non-intimidating writing style, the text emphasizes concepts over formulas. The 6th edition contains 492 new excerpts drawn from recent journal articles, as well as three new chapters. An author-generated companion website has chapter outlines and quizzes, lists of misconceptions, links to online resources, and more.(www.readingstats.com) Reading Statistics and Research gives readers the knowledge and confidence they need to understand, evaluate, and write research reports.

Emphasizing meaning and concepts, not just symbols and numbers Statistics for Psychology, 6th edition places definitional formulas center stage to emphasize the logic behind statistics and discourage rote memorization. Each procedure is explained in a direct, concise language and both verbally and numerically. MyStatLab is an integral part of the Statistics course. MyStatLab gives students practice with hundreds of homework problems. Every problem includes tools to help students understand and solve each problem - and grades all of the problems for instructors. MyStatLab also includes tests, quizzes, eText, a Gradebook, a customizable study plan, and much more. Learning Goals Upon completing this book, readers should be able to: * Know both definitional and numerical formulas and how to apply them * Understand the logic behind each formula * Expose students to the latest thinking in statistical theory and application * Prepare students to read research articles * Learn how to use SPSS

Philosophy of Science deals with the problem, 'What is science?' It seems that the answer to this question can only be found if we have an answer to the question, 'How does science function?' Thus, the study of the methodology of social sciences is a prominent factor in any analysis of these sciences. The history of philosophy shows clearly that the answer to the question, 'How does science function?' was the conditio sine qua non of any kind of philosophy of science, epistemology and even of logic. Aristotle, Hume, Kant, Mill, Russell, to mention a few classical authors, clearly emphasized the primacy of methodology of science for any kind of philosophy of science. One may even state that analyses of the presup positions, the foundations, the aims, goals and purposes of science are nothing else than analyses of their general and specific formal, as well as practical and empirical methods. Thus, the whole program of any phi losophy of science is dependent on the analysis of the methods of sciences and the establishment of their criteria. If the study of scientific method is the predominant factor in the philosophy of science, then all the other problems will depend on the outcome of such a study. For example, the old question of a possible unity of all social sciences will be brought to a solution by the study of the presuppositions, the methods, as well as of the criteria germane to all social sciences."

The American Woman is an established, widely respected series on the status of American women, prepared biennially by the Women’s Research and Education Institute (WREI). The purpose of the series is to provide an important, convenient, and timely source of “user-friendly” information on American women to the media, students and scholars, advocates for women’s equity, and policymakers. Each edition of the series focuses on a particular theme, and the ninth edition addresses the status of young women between the ages of 25 and 35. Contributors – all experts in their fields – explore the opportunities and challenges confronting the young women who are the daughters of the baby boom generation. The focus on young women brings into sharp relief how much has changed since the 1970s. The volume also contains a comprehensive statistical portrait of women of all ages, including user-friendly tables and figures that provide readers with the hard numbers underlying the trends shaping the experiences of women of all ages.

Item response theory has become an essential component in the toolkit of every researcher in the behavioral sciences. It provides a powerful means to study individual responses to a variety of stimuli, and the methodology has been extended and developed to cover many different models of interaction. This volume presents a wide-ranging handbook to item response theory - and its applications to educational and psychological testing. It will serve as both an introduction to the subject and also as a comprehensive reference volume for practitioners and researchers. It is organized into six major sections: the nominal categories model, models for response time or multiple attempts on items, models for multiple abilities or cognitive components, nonparametric models, models for nonmonotone items, and models with special assumptions. Each chapter in the book has been written by an expert of that particular topic, and the chapters have been carefully edited to ensure that a uniform style of notation and presentation is used throughout. As a result, all researchers whose work uses item response theory will find this an indispensable companion to their work and it will be the subject's reference volume for many years to come.

The dynamics of population systems cannot be understood within the framework of ordinary differential equations, which assume that the number of interacting agents is infinite. With recent advances in ecology, biochemistry and genetics it is becoming increasingly clear that real systems are in fact subject to a great deal of noise. Relevant examples include social insects competing for resources, molecules undergoing chemical reactions in a cell and a pool of genomes subject to evolution.When the population size is small, novel macroscopic phenomena can arise, which can be analyzed using the theory of stochastic processes. This thesis is centered on two unsolved problems in population dynamics: the symmetry breaking observed in foraging populations and the robustness of spatial patterns. We argue that these problems can be resolved with the help of two novel concepts: noise-induced bistable states and stochastic patterns.
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This volume describes the development and application of the Mmogo-method (R) as a projective visual data-gathering method, applied in different contexts and with different groups of people. "Mmogo" means togetherness in Setswana, one of the 11 official languages of South Africa. The Mmogo-method (R) provides a deep understanding of personal, relational and group experiences and is particularly useful in cross-cultural contexts and across age groups. By allowing visual expressions of the self as a complex, dynamic social system it overcomes some of the limitations of traditional data-collection methods, such as questionnaires or interviews. The book draws together contributions by leading social scientists to show how this flexible, visual data-collection method can be used independently or jointly with other data-gathering techniques, such as journalling or in-depth interviewing, to acquire rich information. The research method described here enables investigators to access perceptions, feelings and personal experiences participants might otherwise find hard to verbalize and explain. Researchers in disciplines such as education, social sciences, consumer sciences, market research, and city and town planning will find this book and its innovative method particularly valuable in addressing a gap in available visual and other data collection resources.