An intuitive and entertaining guide to the most common and contemporary statistical methods used by political scientists, civil servants, and policy researchers around the world. Political Analysis covers research designs and the statistical method, to descriptive and inferential statistics up to multiple regressions. This broad and comprehensive text is ideal for all undergraduate and postgraduate students studying political statistics or for any student using statistics in their independent research project. Accessible, intuitive, and entertaining, Political Analysis is an essential introduction to statistics. From news reporting on elections or unfolding political crises to everyday advertising, you are confronted with statistics. And in the working world, statistical literacy helps when putting together a policy paper, white paper, or report. An understanding of statistics immunises us from bad arguments, questionable correlations, and poor inferences whether found in news reports, social media, or used by political scientists, civil servants, and policy researchers. Why let other people explain the world to you? Understanding the logic and intuition behind common statistical techniques allows you to better understand the world. Statistics are tools to make predictions, find patterns, and understand politics. This text will help you understand the various types of data and questions used in statistical research. You will gain an ability to independently select the most appropriate statistical techniques and correctly interpret the results. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the logic and intuition of the most common statistical techniques found in the social sciences, a clear understanding of the applicability of statistics to various types of data and questions, and the ability to independently select the most appropriate statistical techniques and correctly interpret the results.

--This text shows students how to organize their work and write gracefully. --Vivid examples show students effective re-writes of example passages. --Classroom and student homework assignments are provided on the book's web site. --Provides examples from both qualitative and quantitative research. --At 150 pages the book is an effective core text for any social science writing course, but brief enough to be assigned in large required courses like social science research methods in sociology and in fields like education, criminology, allied medical health, and other fields where effective research presentation is an important career skill.

Social change in the twenty-first century is shaped by both demographic changes associated with ageing societies and significant technological change and development. Outlining the basic principles of a new academic field, Socio-gerontechnology, this book explores common conceptual, theoretical and methodological ideas that become visible in the critical scholarship on ageing and technology at the intersection of Age Studies and Science and Technology Studies (STS). Comprised of 15 original chapters, three commentaries and an afterword, the book explores how ageing and technology are already interconnected and constantly being intertwined in Western societies. Topics addressed cover a broad variety of socio-material domains, including care robots, the use of social media, ageing-in-place technologies, the performativity of user involvement and public consultations, dementia care and many others. Together, they provide a unique understanding of ageing and technology from a social sciences and humanities perspective and contribute to the development of new ontologies, methodologies and theories that might serve as both critique of and inspiration for policy and design. International in scope, including contributions from the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Australia, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Austria, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden, Socio-gerontechnology is an agenda-setting text that will provide an introduction for students and early career researchers as well as for more established scholars who are interested in ageing and technology.

Whilst providing a fundamental understanding of computational social science, this book delves into the tools and techniques used to build familiarity with programming and gain context into how, why and when they are introduced. The overall focus is on helping you understand and design computational social science research, alongside delving into hands-on coding and technical instruction. Key features include: Further reading Exercises accompanied by sample code Programming examples in Scratch, Python and R Key concepts Chapter summaries With experience in course design and teaching, Matti Nelimarkka has a deep understanding of learning techniques within computational social sciences, with the main aim of blending researching, thinking and designing together to gain a grounded foundation for coding, programming, methodologies and key concepts.

The Palgrave International Handbook of Action Research offers a vivid portrait of both theoretical perspectives and practical action research activity and related benefits around the globe, while attending to the cultural, political, social, historical and ecological contexts that localize, shape and characterize action research. Consisting of teachers, youth workers, counselors, nurses, community developers, artists, ecologists, farmers, settlement-dwellers, students, professors and intellectual-activists on every continent and at every edge of the globe, the movement sustained and inspired by this community was born of the efforts of intellectual-activists in the mid-twentieth century specifically: Orlando Fals Borda, Paulo Freire, Myles Horton, Kurt Lewin. Cross-national issues of networking, as well as the challenges, tensions, and issues associated with the transformative power of action research are explored from multiple perspectives providing unique contributions to our understanding of what it means to do action research and to be an action researcher. This handbook sets a global action research agenda and map for readers to consider as they embark on new projects.

Classic Writings for a Phenomenology of Practice features examples of newly translated classic phenomenological texts that have been largely forgotten or misunderstood. The writings are unique in that they speak to the practice of doing phenomenological research for the purpose of gaining insights and better understandings regarding aspects of professional practice and ordinary life phenomena and events. Phenomenology does not have to be impenetrable philosophy, dealing with tedious technical issues. Instead, phenomenology may offer relevance, value, and enduring allure to readers and researchers who are engaged with the quotidian life experiences and events of students, patients, clients, friends, and other individuals. This phenomenological approach aims to stay as close as possible to the ordinary events of everyday life: seeing the first smile of a child, feeling compulsive, being humorous, having a conversation, experiencing childhood secrecy, encountering new things-topics that span a manifold of life experiences. In this collection of classic phenomenological writings, each author is thoughtfully introduced, and each text is followed by a conversational descant: a reflection on the phenomenological reflection. The presentation of these classic writings and their reflections aims to show us what it means to do phenomenology directly on the phenomena that we live-thus asking us to be attentive to the fascinating varieties and subtleties of primal lived experiences and consciousness in all its remarkable complexities. This book is relevant for scholars and students who are interested in human science research and the origins and practices of the phenomenological method.

The path for doctoral students is laden with obstacles and challenges that can cause students to stumble if they are not prepared for what their future holds. In order to avoid the uncertainty, anxiety, and stress that can consume doctoral students, a comprehensive guide is needed that provides the best practices and strategies to support them in their professional journeys. The Research Anthology on Doctoral Student Professional Development considers the difficulties associated with being a doctoral student such as mental health issues and provides different avenues for success such as mentorship and group study. The text seeks to provide a thorough investigation into what it means to be a doctoral student in order to best prepare potential and current students for what to expect. Moreover, it discusses best practices for developing dissertations. Covering a range of topics such as anxiety, research methods, and dissertations, this major reference work is ideal for researchers, academicians, scholars, practitioners, instructors, and students.

Elgar Research Agendas outline the future of research in a given area. Leading scholars are given the space to explore their subject in provocative ways, and map out the potential directions of travel. They are relevant but also visionary. 'Muller's accessible and timely volume takes a bold step closer to keeping pace with the constantly evolving sub-discipline of tourism geographies, unafraid to challenge earlier foundations and keen to prioritise academic diversity and real-world contexts. The contributors' flair, perspective and passion comes across throughout what is arguably the ideal backdrop for shaping future research agendas in the field.' - Julie Wilson, Open University of Catalonia, Spain Over recent years, tourism geographies have developed into a vibrant field of research, facing increasing challenges from globalisation and environmental change. This Research Agenda presents a unique and original collection of contributions from both established and up-and-coming scholars in the field. Encompassing both contemporary issues, and paving the way for future avenues of research, this book explores and develops research on tourism geographies. Chapters address emerging themes and apply new methodologies, allowing for intellectual and practical challenges to be tackled. With fresh global insights, this book expands on the geographic dimension of tourism work and workers, the challenges brought by changing economic atmospheres, spatial dynamics, big data and climate change to provide a thorough understanding of the field. Ideal for graduate and post-graduate students of geography and tourism studies looking to develop thesis ideas, this Research Agenda highlights the interest and potential of tourism geographers to contribute to a geographical tradition and influence the future content of geography as a discipline. Contributors: M. Bauder, P. Brouder, R. de Cassia Ariza da Cruz, K. Debbage, M.G. Gren, M. Hall, H.V. Haraldsson, X. Honggang, E.H. Huijbens, Z. Ibrahim, D. Ioannides, D.K. Muller, R. Olafsdottir, J. Saarinen, R. Steiger, R. Tremblay, G. Visser, Y. Wu, K. Zampoukos

The Wounded Researcher addresses the crises of epistemological violence when we fail to consider that a researcher is addressed by and drawn into a work through his or her complexes. Using a Jungian-Archetypal perspective, this book argues that the bodies of knowledge we create degenerate into ideologies, which are the death of critical thinking, if the complexity of the research process is ignored. Writing with soul in mind invites us to consider how we might write down the soul in writing up our research.

This is the book that discusses the up-and-coming blockchain technology in a structured way from the conceptual, technological and business perspectives, thereby providing the integrated insight that is essential for truly understanding blockchain applications and their impact. While most people may know about blockchain from Bitcoin and news about its price in the financial markets, blockchain is a technology that increasingly permeates the way in which modern businesses operate. However, its dynamics and functioning remain obscure for most people. This book gives readers the tools to understand the full extent to which blockchain technology is or can be used in business. First, the book focuses on the functioning of blockchain systems, introducing basic concepts such as transactions, consensus mechanisms and smart contracts, as well as giving a smooth introduction to the basic features of cryptography that underpin blockchain technology, e.g., digital signatures and hashing. Then, the book focuses on specific blockchain platforms (Bitcoin, Ethereum, private blockchain platforms) currently used for the implementation of cryptocurrencies and other blockchain systems. Finally, it introduces a set of tools to understand and analyse the suitability of blockchain technology in different business scenarios from the software architecture, business model, and business operation perspectives. Examples and case studies of blockchain applications currently in production are discussed extensively across the book. This book targets students and educators with an interest in blockchain technology providing a one-stop shop to obtain a deep and complete insight in blockchain technology and its applicability in different business scenarios. The textbook is designed primarily for 3rd and 4th year undergraduate students in industrial engineering, business and management, and information systems. However, it can be adopted also in the computer science majors, since it does not strictly require any specific pre-requisite knowledge. At the graduate level, this book can be used in courses for industrial engineering, information systems and management students. Finally, the book is also of interest to practitioners, like business analysts, process analysts and information system architects, to understand the enabling and transformative potential of blockchain in a given business scenario.

This Handbook offers an insightful journey through the landscape of research methods used to study the phenomenon of creativity, addressing the maturation of creativity research and its methodological approaches. Offering a methodological panorama for the global community of creativity researchers, contributors provide markers and viewpoints to better orient scholars and encourage reflection on how one might produce exceptional research on the burgeoning field of creativity. Chapters provide insights into a variety of methodological approaches, contemplating their benefits, limitations, scope of validity and ethical implications. As a contrast, sharp and to the point vignettes, similar to parables, are included to make the reader think. Allowing space for both established methods and new approaches, this Handbook is crucial reading for researchers interested in creativity at all levels looking to adopt innovative methodological approaches and broaden their research horizons. Contributors include: S. Acar, J. Baer, D.M. Boje, I. Bouty, H. Cairns-Lee, G. Cattani, R. Chia, L. Chiapello, A. Cropley, D. Cropley, J. Dul, S. Ferriani, G. Formilan, V. Glaveanu, M.-L. Gomez, M. Hanchett Hanson, P. Hibbert, R. Kark, J.C. Kaufman, A.K. Kofinas, C. Mainemelis, R. Reiter-Palmon, R. Robinson, N. Rosenkranz, M. Runco, M. Sinclair, P. Sowden, U. Ogurlu, M. Tempelaar, K. Unsworth

This book explores the diversity of methodological approaches to researching ageing, considering which methodological paradigm best captures the phenomenon. Interdisciplinary in scope, it brings together research from scholars from Austria, Canada, France, Hong Kong, Israel, Poland, UK and USA to uncover the conditions under which qualitative and quantitative approaches to research on ageing can best be reconciled and rendered complementary. Presenting international reflection on methods for studying old age from a variety of research backgrounds, Researching Ageing showcases the latest research in the field and will appeal to scholars across the social sciences, including sociology, demography, psychology, economics and geography, with interests in gerontology, ageing and later life.

This Elgar Research Agenda showcases insights from leading researchers on the charged issues and questions that lie ahead in the multidisciplinary field of digital politics. Covering the political implications of the Internet, social media, datafication and computational analytics, it looks to the future of how research might address the political challenges of the digital age and maps the key emerging trends in this field. Contributors outline and engage with major questions related to the transformation of campaigns, elections and political partisanship through digital media, and identify the methodological pathways and problems that impact the field. Exploring the implications of digitisation for governance, democracy, privacy, surveillance, advocacy, activism, and political talk, this book highlights the emergent ethical issues that will shape the future of this burgeoning focus of research. Featuring crucial insights into an increasingly pertinent subject, this Research Agenda will be key reading for researchers and graduate students of Internet studies, new media studies and political science. Policy makers, political consultants and anyone with a serious interest in research into digital politics will also benefit from this book's forward-looking approach. Contributors include: N. Anstead, J.G. Blumler, A. Chadwick, S. Coleman, A. Drew, E. Dubois, W.H. Dutton, L. Fernandez, H. Ford, M.I. Franklin, P. Gerbaudo, D. Karpf, L. Lievrouw, W.-Y. Lin, F. Martin-Bariteau, D. McDowell-Naylor, G. Moss, B. O'Loughlin, P. Rossini, V. Schneider, L. Sorenson, S. Wright, X. Zhang

This is an essential how-to guide on the application of structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques with the AMOS software, focusing on the practical applications of both simple and advanced topics. Written in an easy-to-understand conversational style, the book covers everything from data collection and screening to confirmatory factor analysis, structural model analysis, mediation, moderation, and more advanced topics such as mixture modeling, censored date, and non-recursive models. Through step-by-step instructions, screen shots, and suggested guidelines for reporting, Collier cuts through abstract definitional perspectives to give insight on how to actually run analysis. Unlike other SEM books, the examples used will often start in SPSS and then transition to AMOS so that the reader can have full confidence in running the analysis from beginning to end. Best practices are also included on topics like how to determine if your SEM model is formative or reflective, making it not just an explanation of SEM topics, but a guide for researchers on how to develop a strong methodology while studying their respective phenomenon of interest. With a focus on practical applications of both basic and advanced topics, and with detailed work-through examples throughout, this book is ideal for experienced researchers and beginners across the behavioral and social sciences.

This exceptional volume analyzes the intricate roles interest plays in cognition, motivation and learning, and daily living, with a special focus on its development and maintenance across life domains. Leading experts discuss a spectrum of interest ranging from curiosity to obsession, and trace its functions in goal-setting, decision-making, self-regulation, and performance. New research refines the current knowledge on student interest in educational settings and the social contexts of interest, with insights into why interest levels change during engagement and in the long run. From these findings, contributors address ways to foster and nurture interest in the therapy room and the classroom, for optimum benefits throughout life. Among the topics covered: * Embedding interest within self-regulation. * Knowledge acquisition at the intersection of situational and individual interest. * The role of interest in motivation and engagement. * The two faces of passion. * Creative geniuses, polymaths, child prodigies, and autistic savants. * The promotion and development of interest. A robust guide to a fascinating area of study, The Science of Interest synthesizes the field's current knowledge of interest and indicates future directions. Its chapters contribute depth and rigor to this growing area of research, and will enhance the work of researchers in education, psychologists, social scientists, and public policymakers.

Being Ethnographic is a fundamental introductory guidebook to process and utilization of doing fieldwork within real-world settings. It explores our understanding of identities, the future of ethnography and the advancing role of technology in a global, networked society. The third edition of Being Ethnographic highlights the challenges introduced by the ethnographers' own interests, biases and ideologies and demonstrates the importance of methodological reflexivity. This fully updated third edition includes: Discussions on technology and multimodality as hands-on tools for the field Helpful insights into making thoughtful choices around a research design Aid in engaging ethically and effectively within the field Lasting tips for finalising and conducting research Raymond Madden provides invaluable guidance for applying fundamental ethnographic principles within the field and gives students and researchers everything they need to walk a mile in someone else's shoes.

This approachable book introduces network research in R, walking you through every step of doing social network analysis. Drawing together research design, data collection and data analysis, it explains the core concepts of network analysis in a non-technical way. The book balances an easy to follow explanation of the theoretical and statistical foundations underpinning network analysis with practical guidance on key steps like data management, preparation and visualisation. With clarity and expert insight, it: * Discusses measures and techniques for analyzing social network data, including digital media * Explains a range of statistical models including QAP and ERGM, giving you the tools to approach different types of networks * Offers digital resources like practice datasets and worked examples that help you get to grips with R software

Exploring the growing field of mobilities research, this Handbook focuses on the flows and movements of people, artefacts, capital, information and signs on different social and geographical scales. It examines the systems and practices of mobilities within societies, politics, cultures and economies from different theoretical, epistemological and methodological perspectives. Reflecting the variety and diversity of research methods and applications, contributions from top scholars highlight the multiple dimensions of mobilities, from transport to tourism, cargo to information, and across physical, virtual and imaginative mobilities. Chapters analyse mobilities from different angles and scales, emphasising interdisciplinarity by looking at how researchers engage with mobile methods. An inspirational toolbox of research methods and applications for mobilities, sociology and human geography scholars, this Handbook provides both qualitative and quantitative insights to the topic. It will be of interest to policymakers and urban planners looking for a better understanding of the impact and importance of mobilities in contemporary societies. Contributors include: K. Barry, N.M. Bennetsen, J. Berg, T. Birtchnell, T. Boehme, G. Bourg, R. Boyd, A.V.H. Bueno, M. Buscher, E.C. Cabalquinto, C.B. Christensen, F. da Costa Portugal Duarte, M. de Neergaard, A. Elliott, M. Freudendal-Pedersen, J. Germann Molz, K. Goetz, N. Grauslund Kristensen, K. Hartmann-Petersen, M. Henriksson, J.M. Hildebrand, F. Hirschhorn, M. Huyghe, O. Jarv, H.L. Jensen, O.B. Jensen, S. Kesselring, H. Krobath, G.R. Larsen, C. Lassen, A. Maddrell, K. Manderscheid, A. Masso, L. Murray, L. Nitschke, A. Paulsson, A. Perkins, R. Rackham, A. Rocci, L. Schindler, M. Sheller, S. Silm, L.C. Smith, S. Smith, S. Sodero, G. Sunderer, C.H. Sorensen, B. Szerszynski, K.S. Tan, S. Thulin, M. Trandberg Jensen, C. Tschoerner-Budde, D. Tyfield, R. Tzanelli, P. Vannini, S. Wilson, D. Zuev

Research Methods: A Practical Guide for Students and Researchers is a practical guide on how to conduct research systematically and professionally. The book begins by distinguishing between causal and interpretive sciences. It then guides the reader on how to formulate the research question, review the literature, develop the hypothesis or framework, select a suitable research methodology, and analyze both quantitative and qualitative data.The book uses classic examples as exemplars. It also uses many examples from different disciplines and sectors to demonstrate and showcase the inter-connections and wider applications of research tools.The book emphasizes integration. It does not merely provide a smorgasbord of research designs, data collection methods, and ways to analyze data. Instead, it shows how one could formulate research strategies given the outcomes the researchers are required or tasked to deliver.The revised edition includes three new chapters on time series (including spatial models), machine learning, and meta-analysis. In addition, existing chapters have been expanded to include more examples, digital research, and new material.

This book examines the meaning and implications of the sociological maxim, 'make the familiar strange'. Addressing the methodological questions of why and how sociologists should make the familiar strange, what it means to 'make the familiar strange', and how this approach benefits sociological research and theory, it draws on four central concepts: reification, familiarity, strangeness, and defamiliarization. Through a typology of the notoriously ambiguous concept of reification, the author argues that the primary barrier to sociological knowledge is our experience of the social world as fixed and unchangeable. Thus emerges the importance of constituting the familiar as the strange through a process of social defamiliarization as well as making this process more methodical by reflecting on heuristics and patterns of thinking that render society strange. The first concerted effort to examine an important feature of the sociological imagination, this volume will appeal to sociologists of any specialty and theoretical persuasion.

This book introduces the fundamentals of research methods and how they apply to the discipline of urban and regional planning. Written at a level appropriate for upper-level undergraduate and beginning master's level students, the text fills a gap in the literature for textbooks on urban planning. Additionally, the book can be used as a reference for planning practitioners and researchers when analyzing quantitative and qualitative data in urban and regional planning and related fields. The volume does not assume advanced knowledge of mathematical formulas. Rather, it begins with the essentials of research methods, such as the identification of the research problems in planning, the literature review, data collection and presentation, descriptive data analysis, and report of findings. Its discipline-specific topics include field research methods, qualitative data analysis, economic and demographic analysis, evaluation research, and methods in sub-disciplines such as land use planning, transportation planning, environmental planning, and housing analysis. Designed with instruction in mind, this book features downloadable materials, including learning outcomes, chapter highlights, chapter review questions, datasets, and certain Excel models. Students will be able to download review questions to enhance the learning process and datasets to practice methods.

This Handbook expertly instructs the reader on how to conduct applied health research across a number of disciplines. Particularly aimed at postgraduate health researchers and students of applied health research, it presents and explains a wide range of research designs and other contemporary issues in applied health research. Focusing on learning outcomes, it takes the reader from underpinning epistemological, ontological and methodological considerations through to the key features of highlighted research designs and how to apply these in practice. In so doing, the experienced group of authors guides the reader in the choice of design for their own studies. They both examine the underpinning paradigmatic questions that guide important design choices and also explore the practical considerations that have to be taken into account when conducting research in this field. This book covers a range of designs from different traditions and also points readers to the key literatures in their areas of interest. Master's students across a range of disciplines will find this book invaluable and it will also be an essential reference tool for PhD students and new researchers in applied health research. Contributors include: F. Ahmed, H. Aveyard, S. Baines, A. Bingley, S. Brearley, G. Chatzidamianos, M. Collins, A. Dodd, M. Edwards, N. Fisher, I. Fletcher, T. Gatrell, A. Grinyer, E. Halliday, C. Murray, R.J. Parker, G. Perez Algorta, N. Preston, S. Reilly, J. Simpson, C. Thomas, S. Varey, C. Walshe, D. Wilde