Research Methods for the Behavioral Sciences

Appropriate for social science students, this text offers comprehensive coverage of both experimental and non-experimental methods. The author provides succinct explanations for a full range of methods, including descriptive, correlational, experimental, and quasi-experimental research designs. Practical tips and applications integrated throughout the text allow students to make real-world connections that encourage them to master the material.

Table of Contents:
Note: Each chapter concludes with a Summary, Key Terms, a Review and Discussion Questions, and "Hands-on Experience." I. Getting Started 1. Introduction to Research Behavioral Research Everyday Science Versus Empirical Research The Scientific Method Values Versus Facts in Scientific Research Basic and Applied Research The Importance of Studying Research Methods Research Designs: Three Approaches to Studying Behavior 2. Developing the Research Hypothesis Getting Ideas Doing a Literature Search Formalizing Ideas into Research Hypotheses 3. Ethics in Research What Is Ethical Research? Protecting Research Participants from Physical and Psychological Harm Maintaining Awareness of Power Differentials Honestly Describing the Nature and Use of the Research Using Animals as Research Participants Ensuring that Research Is Ethical II. Measuring and Describing 4. Measures Fundamentals of Measurement Measurement Scales Self-Report Measures Behavioral Measures Choosing a Measure 5. Reliability and Validity Random and Systematic Error Reliability Construct Validity Improving the Reliability and Validity of Measured Variables Comparing Reliability and Validity 6. Surveys and Sampling Surveys Sampling and Generalization Summarizing the Sample Data Sample Size and the Margin of Error 7. Naturalistic Methods Naturalistic Research Observational Research Case Studies Systematic Coding Methods Archival Research III. Testing Research Hypotheses 8. Hypothesis Testing and Inferential Statistics Probability and Inferential Statistics Sampling Distributions and Hypothesis Testing Reduction of Inferential Errors Statistical Significance and the Effect Size 9. Correlational Research Designs Associations Among Quantitative Variables Statistical Assessment of Relationships Correlation and Causality When Correlational Designs Are Appropriate 10. Experimental Research: One-Way Designs Demonstration of Causality One-Way Experimental Designs Analysis of Variance Repeated-Measures Designs Presentation of Experiment Results When Experiments Are Appropriate IV. Designing and Interpreting Research 11. Experimental Research: Factorial Designs Factorial Experimental Designs Understanding Interactions More Factorial Designs Comparison of the Condition Means in Experimental Designs 12. Experimental Control and Internal Validity Threats to the Validity of Research Experimental Control Control of Extraneous Variables Creation of Valid Manipulations Threats to Internal Validity 13. External Validity Understanding External Validity Generalization Replications Summarizing and Integrating Research Results 14. Quasi-Experimental Research Designs Program Evaluation Research Quasi-Experimental Designs Time-Series Designs Participant-Variable Designs Single-Participant Designs Appendix A. Reporting Research Results Communication of Scientific Knowledge The Research Report Tips on Writing the Research Report Appendix B. Data Preparation and Univariate Statistics Preparing Data for Analysis Conducting Statistical Analysis Computing Descriptive Statistics Working with Inferential Statistics Appendix C. Bivariate Statistics The Pearson Correlation Coefficient Contingency Tables Bivariate Regression One-Way Analysis of Variance Appendix D. Multivariate Statistics Multiple Regression Loglinear Analysis Means Comparisons Multivariate Statistics How to Choose the Appropriate Statistical Test Appendix E. Statistical Tables Statistical Table A: Random Numbers Statistical Table B: Distribution of z in the Standard Normal Distribution Statistical Table C: Critical Values of t Statistical Table D: Critical Values of r Statistical Table E: Critical Values of Chi Square Statistical Table F: Critical Values of F Statistical Table G: Statistical Power Appendix F. Using Computers to Collect Data Glossary References Index