Social Research Methods International Edition [Alan Bryman]

Description

Author: Alan Bryman

ISBN: 9780198755951

The most comprehensive introduction to social research methods which guides students through the whole research process from formulating a research question to writing up.

An introductory one-stop reference for students and researchers that offers unrivalled coverage of both qualitative and quantitative methods. Guides students through the whole research process from formulating a research question to writing up their findings. Packed full of practical tips and advice to help students undertake their own dissertation and research while avoiding common pitfalls.

Features:

– E-research has been integrated throughout the book, reflecting the fact that internet-based research methods can no longer be treated separately from the main research process

– New sections on Big Data, Skype interviewing, computer assisted content analysis, and using mobile phones as a platform for surveys

– A new ‘Research in the News’ feature demonstrates how social research informs the headlines and raises interesting methodological issues

– New coverage of mixed mode surveys, experience and event sampling and thematic synthesis for systematic reviews

Table of contents

Part One: The Research Process

1. The nature and process of social research

2. Social research strategies: quantitative research and qualitative research

3. Research designs

4. Planning a research project and formulating research questions

5. Getting started: reviewing the literature

6. Ethics and politics in social research

Part Two: Quantitative Research

7. The nature of quantitative research

8. Sampling in quantitative research

9. Structured interviewing

10. Self-administered questionnaires

11. Asking questions

12. Structured observation

13. Content analysis

14. Using existing data

15. Quantitative data analysis

16. Using IBM SPSS for Windows

Part Three: Qualitative Research

17. The nature of qualitative research

18. Sampling in qualitative research

19. Ethnography and participant observation

20. Interviewing in qualitative research

21. Focus groups

22. Language in qualitative research

23. Documents as sources of data

24. Qualitative data analysis

25. Computer-assisted qualitative data analysis: using NVivo

Part Four: Mixed Methods Research and Writing Up

26. Breaking down the quantitative/qualitative divide

27. Mixed methods research: combining quantitative and qualitative research

28. Writing up social research