NCJ Number
52016
Editor(s)
M P GOLDEN
Date Published
1977
Length
543 pages
Annotation
THE ARTICLES IN THIS BOOK ARE INTENDED TO EXPOSE STUDENTS TO A WIDE RANGE OF RESEARCH POSSIBILITIES AND TO INTRODUCE THEM TO EXPERIMENTAL AND CONCEPTUAL ASPECTS OF SOCIAL RESEARCH.
Abstract
THE ANTHOLOGY IS ORGANIZED IN SECTIONS BY RESEARCH STRATEGY, CONTAINING AN OVERVIEW AND ILLUSTRATIVE PAPERS. RESEARCH STRATEGIES INCLUDE FIELD STUDIES, EXPERIMENTS, SURVEYS, AND USE OF AVAILABLE DATA WITHIN EACH DISCUSSION, AN EFFORT IS MADE TO INCLUDE STUDIES CONDUCTED FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES AND THAT INVOLVE VARIOUS DATA-COLLECTION TECHNIQUES. A SEPARATE SECTION ON MEASUREMENT EXPOSES STUDENTS TO PROBLEMS RELATED TO OPERATIONALIZATION OF VARIABLES. ARTICLE SELECTION WAS BASED ON THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES: (1) TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE COVERAGE OF THE VARIOUS STRATEGIES AND TECHNIQUES OF SOCIAL RESEARCH; (2) TO COVER A VARIETY OF SUBJECT MATTER AND SETTINGS WHICH CAN PROVIDE A FOCUS FOR RESEARCH; AND (3) TO PRESENT THE SOCIOLOGICAL OR SOCIOPSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE. EACH CONTRIBUTION IS ACCOMPANIED BY A PERSONAL JOURNAL, AN ARTICLE BY THE RESEARCHES THAT SUPPLEMENTS THE FORMAL STUDY REPORT. THE JOURNALS DEMONSTRATE THAT SOCIAL RESEARCH IS CIRCUMSTANTIAL AND UNEXPECTED, AS WELL AS LOGICAL AND SYSTEMATIC. THEY FOCUS ON THE CONTEXT OF DISCOVERY AND ARE INCLUDED TO TEACH STUDENTS NOT ONLY ABOUT RESEARCH BUT ALSO ABOUT HOW THE RESEARCHER WORKS, TO HELP STUDENTS UNDERSTAND THE METHODOLOGY AND ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS OF SOCIAL RESEARCH, AND TO APPRECIATE BOTH THE DIFFICULTIES AND SATISFACTIONS INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS OF DISCOVERY. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--KJM)