The Research Process

INTRODUCTION
1. How We Know What We Know and How We Know We Know
Answering our questions
Consulting an authority as a way of knowing
Research as a way of knowing
2. Research as a Way of Knowing
Research as a process
Research as a discipline
Theory and data
PHASE 1: ESSENTIAL FIRST STEPS
3. Selecting a Problem
Starting points
The literature review
Narrowing and clarifying the problem
Stating the problem
4. Qualitative or Quantitative Research? Where Do I Begin?
What is qualitative research?
When to use qualitiative research
What is quantitative research?
Which is better: Qualitative or quantitative?
5. Selecting Variables
Concepts and variables
Finding variables for concepts: Hypotheses
Finding variables for concepts: Research objectives
The question of validity
An overview of the research process
6. Finding a Variable's Measurements
The logic of measurement
Variable measurement in the social and behavioural sciences
Using observation to measure variables
Using interview schedules and questionnaires to measure variables
Examining records and publications to measure variables
Validity
Reliability
7. Selecting a Research Design
Qualitative or quantitative? Which approach should you use?
How do you choose a research design?
- 1. The case study
- 2. The longitudinal study
- 3. The comparison study
- 4. The longitudinal comparison study
- 5. The experiment
Controlling the influence of other variables
8. Selecting a Sample
How to select a sample
Types of sampling procedure
Determining sample size
9. Ethics in Human Research
The ethics of research
Formal ethical review of research
Ethical issues in qualitative research
Ending the research process
PHASE 2: DATA COLLECTION
10. Making Notes, Organizing Data, and Constructing Bibliographies
Attention to detail
Keep a research journal
Maintain a bibliography
Recording notes
Data collection sheets
11. Summarizing and Presenting Data in Quantitative Research
Categories
Tables
Graphs
Means
12. Presenting Data Using Qualitative Research
The qualitative research process
Phase 1: Essential first steps
Phase 2: Collecting, summarizing, and organizing data
Phase 3: Analyzing data
PHASE 3: ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
13. Drawing Conclusions
What did you ask?
What did you find?
What exactly do you conclude?
To whom do your conclusions apply?
14. Reporting Your Research
What is worth reporting?
A general outline
Conclusion
Appendix A: Final Report: The Job-Search Experiences of Immigrant and New-Generation Youth in Winnipeg (NEW!)
Appendix B: A Table of Random Numbers
Glossary of Key Terms

Instructor's Manual (NEW!):
Chapter summary presented as lecture outline
1-3 suggested class activities/assessments
List of teaching aids
3 Canadian examples for discussion
1 learning challenge for students and suggestion for teaching strategy
Test Bank:
5 short-answer questions
10-15 true-or-false questions
15-20 multiple-choice questions
Student Study Guide:
For each chapter:
Chapter summary
List of key terms with definitions
3-5 short-answer review questions, including applied-knowledge problems
12-15 multiple-choice questions (presented separately as an interactive quiz)

Canadian adapter Lori Wilkinson is associate professor in the Sociology Department at the University of Manitoba, where she teaches courses in ethnic relations, Canadian society and culture, and survey research methods. She is an internationally recognized expert on immigration and refugee studies, in particular on immigrant youths' adaption to the Canadian economic and educational experience. Her commitment to her department, faculty, university, students, and community was recognized in 2008, when she was the recipient of the Faculty of Arts Professor of the Year award.

Lori is also involved with the Canadian Sociological Association (CSA) and is currently working on updating the organization's ethics guidelines. Her upcoming writing projects include a co-authored introductory statistics text for OUP.

Special Features

• Accessible and concise. Assumes no prior knowledge of the subject and uses clear language and straightforward explanations, offering students a unique and practical introduction to methods.
• Non-statistical, non-mathematical approach. Explains the essential logic of research, enabling novice students to effectively prepare proposals and conduct research at a basic level.
• Qualitative and quantitative methods. Integrates coverage of both qualitative and quantitative analysis throughout, explaining how each approach is used to gather evidence for understanding the social world.
• Canadian content. Seamlessly integrates Canadian issues and examples relatable to students in this country.
• Interdisciplinary. Examples and content applicable to a variety of social science disciplines make this text suitable for courses in sociology, political science, geography, health sciences, and nursing.
• Helpful pedagogy. Chapter outlines, figures and tables, chapter summaries, questions for review, recommended resources, and new bolded key terms highlight important information and encourage active learning.

• Fully revised and updated. Features new and expanded Canadian content, examples, readings, and research to provide current, relevant, and engaging material for Canadian students.
• New case study boxes. In-depth coverage of current research issues - such as Vancouver's Insite safe-injection facility and Andre Wakefield's controversial study on autism - helps students make connections between theoretical concepts and real-world applications.
• Updated ethics coverage. Contains critical updates on ethical policies including the Tri-Council (2010) Policy Statement on Ethical Conduct Involving Humans, ethical and secure storage of data and personal information, and new guidelines on obtaining informed consent, helping students develop a good understanding of how to navigate ethical concerns.
• New appendix. A recently completed study of immigrant job-search experiences of youth in Winnipeg, printed in its entirety, showcases the research process from beginning to end.
• New glossary. A glossary of research terms ensures that students grasp the material and helps them prepare for tests and assignments.