In this single volume, a team of international experts sets out a range of analytic tools available to social scientists from social science methodology. The volume presents social scientists with some experience with a guide through the maze of advanced techniques applicable across the range of the social sciences. The first chapters outline ways in which the revolution in computing power is transforming the working environment for social scientists, extending their analytic reach, and opening up new research horizons. The empirical chapters each present a particular approach to data analysis, discussing the underlying logic and demonstrating its application by working through a substantive example - with mathematical reasoning kept to a minimum. The theoretical chapters provide an introduction to recently developing approaches to social science research. Each chapter includes references to other works in the field, and to appropriate software programs, for those who are keen to pursue a particular approach in greater detail.

This unique book contains the only set of statistical estimates of party, government, and electoral preferences in 25 countries over the entire post-war period. These are based on content analyses of electoral and government programs for each election and government of the period, a task which no one else has even attempted. It provides these estimates directly for computer use on the CD ROM provided with it. The printed text provides documentation and suggests uses for data, along with much other background information.

In a single, accessible volume, a team of international experts sets out a range of analytic tools available to social scientists from the cutting edge of social science methodology.