Constructing Social Research

"Constructing Social Research, Second Edition" is a concise, innovative text designed for undergraduate Research Methods courses in the Social Sciences. This "Sociology for a New Century Series" text effectively highlights the unity and diversity of methods across disciplines and cultures using comparative and historical examples. Ragin and Amoroso clearly demonstrate the similarities among three major traditions: qualitative research on commonalities, comparative research on diversity, and quantitative research on relationships among variables. Together, these three compelling research strategies provide a solid foundation for studying all social phenomena, from examining the complexities of everyday life to investigating the power of transnational processes. This edition includes a new Chapter 4 'The Ethics of Social Research' to provide more in-depth information on this vital topic. Ragin and Amoroso offer a new succinct overview of the scientific method, illuminating the contrast between this method and the alternative presented in the text. To illustrate the various types of data collection associated with qualitative, comparative, and quantitative research, each chapter within the 'Strategies of Social Research' section includes new, detailed examples.