Practical Problems in Research Methods

A Casebook with Questions for Discussion

Ø Each of the 53 cases presents a practical problem faced by a researcher and the solution he or she selected.
Ø The questions encourage students to evaluate the researcher’s solution and consider alternatives.
Ø All cases are drawn from the published literature. Your students will evaluate real problems faced by practicing researchers.
Ø All major topics in research methods are covered. Here are samples from the seven major sections of the book
  1. Sampling: Sampling Hispanic Adults by Telephone,
  2. Measurement: Social Desirability,
  3. Operational Definitions: Defining "Physical Abuse" of Children,
  4. Procedures: Controlling the Distribution of a Questionnaire,
  5. Experimental and Causal-Comparative Design: Forming Comparison Groups in Classroom Research on Reading,
  6. Ethical Considerations: Prescreening Adolescents for Stress,
  7. Interpretation of Results: Health Risk Behaviors of Adolescents.

Ø The extensive instructor’s guide provides discussion points as well as samples of students’ answers obtained in the field tests.
Ø This supplementary book makes dry textbook principles come alive! Students learn that research is a dynamic process—that for many problems there are competing solutions, each with its own advantages and drawbacks.
Ø The 35 short cases are ideal for classroom discussions. The 18 longer ones make great homework assignments.
 

A sample of professors' reactions:

"Thought-provoking questions, which will be helpful in having students apply knowledge to actual research situations."
    — DeAnne K. Messias, Indiana Wesleyan University

"I use problems from this book for all my research classes. They bring the material to life and help students understand abstract concepts in a core concrete way."
    — Ruth C. White, San Francisco State University

"This is an excellent resource to engage undergraduates in thinking critically about the basic problems in research design, from sampling and measurement to ethics. It's become a critical tool in my methods course!"
    — D. A. Abowitz, Bucknell University


"This book offers great ideas for starting conversations with students on important topics that may be overlooked because of a lack of concrete examples."
    —Rebecca D. Eckert, University of Connecticut

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