Research Basics

Jim Spickard is Professor of Sociology & Anthropology at the University of Redlands, in California, where he teaches courses on research design and methods, social theory, the sociology of religion, homelessness, and world hunger.  Most of his research focuses on the role that religion plays in contemporary society.  He also investigates movements for social change.  He has written or edited several books, most recently on non-Western sociological theory, on the transnational dynamics of African Pentecostalism, on social statistics, and on reflexive ethnography.

• For Instructors: Why This Book?What Lies AheadAcknowledgmentsAbout the AuthorIntroductionWhy a Six-Step Formula?Looking AheadPART ONE THE SIX STEPSChapter 1 Step 1: Develop a Good Research QuestionStart With a Research TopicFrom Topic to QuestionAn Example: Mass TransitMaking DecisionsSearch the LiteratureRecraft Your Research QuestionQuestions Based on the LiteratureThree More PossibilitiesStart Your Research ProposalThe Parts of a ProposalA Proposal in Brief: The Concept PaperReview QuestionsNotesChapter 2 Step 2: Choose a Logical Structure for Your ResearchThree Examples1. Comparing Outcomes2. Systematic Description3. Seeking CorrelationsTen Logical Structures for Research1. True Experiments2. Quasi-Experiments3. Ex Post Facto Research4. Correlational Research5. Descriptive Research6. Case Studies7. Historical Research8. Longitudinal Research9. Meta-Analysis10. Action ResearchMatching Logical Structure to the Research QuestionReview QuestionsNotesChapter 3 Step 3: Identify the Type of Data You NeedFourteen Types of Data1. Acts, Behavior, or Events2. Reports of Acts, Behavior, or Events3. Economic Data4. Organizational Data5. Demographic Data6. Self-Identity7. Shallow Opinions and Attitudes8. Deeply Held Opinions and Attitudes9. Personal Feelings10. Cultural Knowledge11. Expert Knowledge12. Personal and Psychological Traits13. Experience as It Presents Itself to Consciousness14. Hidden Social PatternsReview QuestionsNotesChapter 4 Step 4: Pick a Data Collection MethodMatch Your Method to Your DataData Type 1: Acts, Behavior, or EventsData Type 2: Reports of Acts, Behavior, or EventsData Types 3, 4, and 5: Economic, Organizational, and Demographic DataData Type 6: Self-IdentityData Types 7 and 8: Shallow and Deeply Held Opinions and AttitudesData Type 9: Personal FeelingsThree Examples (that include data types 10-12)Example 1: Mass Transit and Property ValuesExample 2: Mass Transit and Street LifeExample 3: Best Places to WorkData Type 13: Experience as It Presents Itself to ConsciousnessHidden Social PatternsResearch EthicsUnethical ResearchImplementing Ethical PracticesInstitutional Review BoardsReview QuestionsNotesChapter 5 Step 5: Choose Your Data Collection SiteDemographic and Economic DataOpinions, Identities, and Reports of Acts at a Shallow LevelPopulations and SamplesSample Size, Margin of Error, and Confidence LevelObservable BehaviorDeeply Held Opinions and AttitudesCultural and Expert KnowledgeHidden Social PatternsThe Remaining Data TypesReview QuestionsNotesChapter 6 Step 6: Pick a Data Analysis MethodPreliminary QuestionsWhat Kind of Analysis Does Your Research Question Require?What Form Does Your Data Take?What Is Your Unit of Observation? What Is Your Unit of Analysis?Working With Numeric Data: DescribingWorking With Numeric Data: ComparingInterval/Ratio DataOrdinal and Categorical DataIdentifying CauseWhat Statistical Test Should I Use?Three FallaciesWorking With Qualitative DataRespondent-Centered Versus Researcher-Centered AnalysisCodingInternal Versus External CodingQualitative Data Analysis (QDA) SoftwareWarningsReview QuestionsSummarizing the Six StepsNotesPART TWO COLLECTING AND ANALYZING DIFFERENT TYPES OF DATAChapter 7 Comparing: Economic, Demographic, and Organizational DataAbout ComparingComparing San Antonio and PortlandComparing the 50 U.S. StatesAbout CorrelationsThree ExamplesComparing Places: Do Walkable Neighborhoods Improve Health?Comparing Organizations: Does Treating Employees Well Increase Company Performance?Comparing Schools: Do Charter Schools Improve Student Test Scores?Research EthicsReview QuestionsNotesChapter 8 Surveying: Shallow Opinions, Identities, and Reports of ActsThree RemindersTwo ExamplesStudying School SafetyKids’ Attitudes Toward ReadingSurvey Data AnalysisAnalyzing Interval/Ratio Survey ResultsAnalyzing Ordinal and Categorical DataPractical MattersCreating Your QuestionnaireSampling (Again)Surveying OnlineResearch EthicsReview QuestionsNotesChapter 9 Interviewing: Deep Talk to Gather Several Types of DataHermeneutic InterviewsAn Example: “Motherloss”How to Write an Interview ProtocolCoding Your DataInterviews With ExpertsCritical Incident InterviewsFocus GroupsPhenomenological InterviewsAn ExampleHow Is It Done?Other Types of DataHow Many Subjects?Research EthicsReview QuestionsNotesChapter 10 Scales: Looking for Underlying TraitsScales of Psychological Well-BeingCreating ScalesUsing the ScalesAnalyzing Scale ResearchT-Tests and Analysis of VarianceControl VariablesResearch EthicsReview QuestionsNotesChapter 11 Recording Behavior: Acts and Reports of ActsWatching PeopleWatching Gender SpeechCollecting Self-ReportsA Variation: The Beeper StudiesWatching AnimalsWatching ChimpsRavens and Elephant-ShrewsWhat If They Hide?ExperimentsExperiments About Stereotype ThreatExperiments About DiscriminationRules for ExperimentsResearch EthicsReview QuestionsNotesChapter 12 Finding Hidden Social Patterns: In Life, Texts, and Popular CultureAbout Hidden PatternsAnalyzing TextsDreams as TextsOther TextsAnalyzing DiscoursesCritical Discourse AnalysisTwo ExamplesAnalyzing Popular Culture: The SoapsResearch EthicsReview QuestionsNotesChapter 13 Ethnography: Exploring Cultural and Social ScenesThe Three GoalsGoal One: Seeing the World as the Participants See ItGoal Two: Watching What Participants DoOn Taking Field NotesGoal Three: Understanding Hidden PatternsWhat Doesn’t MatterSteps to a Successful EthnographyGaining AccessDeveloping RapportListening to LanguageBeing an Observed ObserverWhat About Objectivity?Writing Your ResultsA Word About Grounded TheoryResearch EthicsReview QuestionsNotesChapter 14 Extended Example: Counting the HomelessWhat Caused the Homeless Crisis?Who Is Homeless?How Can We Find and Count Street Homeless?Peter Rossi’s Chicago CountMartha Burt’s Weeklong MethodCounting San BernardinoConflicting ResultsCorrecting National FiguresResearch EthicsReflectionsSummary of the Six StepsNotesResearch Guides and HandoutsSix-Steps Graphic: From Research Question to Data AnalysisWhat Is a Concept Paper?How to Choose a Data Collection MethodA Template for Field NotesHow to Write an Interview ProtocolHow Many Subjects? (for interview studies)Interview Rule-of-Thumb Flowchart for Nonrandom SamplesWhat Statistical Tests Should I Use?GlossaryAuthor IndexSubject Index

"An extremely well organized text covering basics of research design and methods that consistently uses the six steps in the text and in examples to assure that students understand."