Research Methodology in Social Sciences

The book at hand effectively conveys the fundamental concepts pertinent to social research in the realm of Extension Education. The book has been divided into four key parts. The first part, Foundations of social research, covers the fundamental units of social research, including the scientific approach, meaning, process, and development of scientific research problems. Additionally, it delves into the defining and measurement of variables, as well as the testing of the reliability and validity of measuring instruments. The second part, Research Methods, examines the three primary research methods used in extension education and agricultural extension, namely survey research, action research, and case study. This section provides a comprehensive overview of the process, advantages, and limitations of each method. There are numerous research methods employed in social research. The third part, Tools and techniques of data collection, explores the situation suitability, relative advantages, and limitations of various data collection techniques, such as face-to-face interviews, mailed questionnaires, observation methods, content analysis, sociometry, and projective methods. Finally, the fourth part, Data processing and report writing, focuses on rendering the collected data amenable for statistical analysis, such as coding, as well as the formulation and testing of hypotheses and the composition of the research report.