Patten M.L., Newhart M. Understanding Research Methods

London: Routledge, 2017. — 353 p.Understanding Research Methods provides an overview of basic research methods for use in courses offered in departments of sociology, psychology, education, criminal justice, social work, counseling, communications, and business, as well as closely related felds that would beneft from a survey of methods used in the social sciences.
Leaders in all fields rely on the results of research to make important decisions, such as how to adjust work environments to improve employee productivity and satisfaction, how to best address the problems of those who depend on social services, and which types of educational programs produce the best results. If students hope to become decision makers in their fields, they must understand research methods in order to effectively sort through conflicting claims found in the research literature and arrive at sound decisions.
Many students will be expected to conduct simple but important research on the job. For instance, clinical psychologists are expected to track improvements made by their clients, teachers are expected to experiment with new methods in the classroom, social workers are expected to collect data on their clients, and many types of businesses use Internet or other data to track traffic and learn about their customers.
All students will make lifestyle decisions that are at least in part based on research reported in the media. Should an individual take vitamin supplements? Which make of auto mobile is superior if the buyer’s primary concern is safety? What are the best ways to promote healthy child development in one’s children? Many types of answers are offered online, on television, or in print through social media, newspapers and newscasts, and in-depth articles. As a result of studying research methods, students can improve their ability to identify research-based claims and consume information crucially.
Students may need to read and report on published research in other classes. They will be more skilled at doing this if they have a solid understanding of basic methods of research.