Summary
Contents
Subject index
Research should be interesting, not intimidating! Have you ever wondered how to determine the quality of the research reported in journal articles? This brief, introductory guide walks you, step by step, through the basics of reading and understanding a research article. The author demonstrates the many strengths of social research, including its advantages over ordinary ways of knowing things, and, at the same time, points out that research is inevitably flawed. Rather than naively assuming that good research simply produces “The Truth” or cynically asserting that research is hopelessly biased and futile, this book helps you develop a critical perspective-one that appreciates the strengths and weaknesses of any piece of scholarship.
Defining Key Terms
Defining Key Terms
On any given day, you’re likely to have dozens of conversations with friends, relatives, coworkers, and acquaintances. The topics may at times be trivial—such as good movies or what happened at the party last night—but nevertheless you’re always talking about something. Even the most casual conversation has at least one topic of concern.
But what exactly are the things that we discuss and debate in our daily lives? Can we define what we are talking about?
This straightforward question can, surprisingly, be very difficult to answer. If a friend were to ask for clarification—as in “So what exactly are your criteria for a good movie?” or “What specifically differentiates a party from other kinds of ...
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