ROBERT F. BORUCH AND ROBERT W. PEARSON During the 13th Century. a vigorous argument among Middle Eastern rabbis concerned how one ought to make a fair assessment of an olive crop value for tithing purposes. Should one consolidate the crop. systematically mix the olives. and then conscientiously draw a small random sample? Or. might one simply grab a handful of olives from the nearest basket and make an estimate of the crop's worth. The issue. of course. is one that research designers and research users confront often -- balancing the need for information against the resources that must be put into actually collecting the data -- in deciding how much effort is warranted to produce fair evidence. For the rabbis. who argued for twenty-five years over the matter. the issue can be resolved with a special rule. In this as in other cases. if the demand for information is biblical in origin -- if God is its source. then one ought to be considerably conscientious; a more scientific and more expensive endeavor is warranted. We may at times subscribe to this kind of rule of thumb in determining what quality of information is warranted under what conditions. But other rules and approaches are possible. And as medieval Jewish. Arabic. and Christian philosophy suggests. the alternatives need to be thought out and tested. Our interest is a bit more contemporary but has some spiritual kinship with early scholars' interest in empirical evidence.

Publishing the 600th volume of The Annals provides the perfect opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the social sciences, review past and current challenges, and look toward future possibilities that await scholars, practitioners, and policymakers alike in using the social sciences to help improve the quality of human life and advance the public good. "Certainly, The Annals and its parent organization, the American Academy of Political and Social Science, have changed over the 115 years. So too have disciplines and fields of study within the social sciences. Yet the hope to 'enlighten public opinion and inform public policy' has remained constant, even as the Academy and the social sciences have pursed both a 'science project' and 'national political project,' occasionally in tandem and, at other times, separately."This special issue is dedicated to reflecting on how selected disciplines and fields of study have promoted their use and usefulness in advancing and informing public policy.With an impressive array of experts in their respective fields, this volume examines how anthropology, behavioral genetics, criminology, economics, international relations, sociology, psychology, and political science have advanced or strayed from that agenda. "Much more than a historical overview, the articles here provide honest and at times, provocative assessments of the development of the social sciences and their impact on public policies and the publics they study. Social scientists, practitioners, and policymakers willing to advance the use and usefulness of the social sciences will upon the lesions of this volume for many years to come.

"A number of my students commended the readability of the book....It is truly one of a kind in the most excellent way." -Elsie Szecsy, Arizona State University This textbook focuses attention on the conceptual understanding of statistics, the signposts of (in)appropriate research design and quality measurement, the selection of the right statistical tools under different conditions, and the presentation of substantive and technical results. Key Features Illustrates statistical and graphical procedures in SPSS and Excel through step-by-step instructions for the analysis of real-world examples and data problems in education, crime, government performance, and program evaluation Clearly demonstrates the importance of sound research designs and measurement as well as appropriate statistical procedures Shows how to make persuasive as well as principled statistical arguments and presentations to nonacademic audiences Embeds statistical analysis within a political framework, thus alerting students to the temptation to distort data and its interpretation, the limits of dispassionate analysis, and the conditions under which sound analysis can inform decisions Instructors interested in this title can learn more about Robert Pearson and his book by viewing his YouTube video. Accompanied by robust ancillaries The Password-Protected Instructor Teaching Site offers sample syllabi; an instructor's manual; PowerPoint lecture slides, test questions and answer keys for each chapter and a final comprehensive examination, solution sets to lab exercises, and handouts for students. The Student Study Site offers a student workbook that includes exercises, essay assignments, and sample data sets. Video lectures concerning key concepts are also available on YouTube.