Practical Problems in Research Methods: A Casebook with Questions for Discussion

• Each of the 53 cases presents a practical problem faced by a researcher and the solution he or she selected. •The questions encourage students to evaluate the researcher’s solution and consider alternatives. •All cases are drawn from the published literature. Your students will evaluate real problems faced by practicing researchers. •All major topics in research methods are covered. Here are samples from the seven major sections of the book: •Sampling: Sampling Hispanic Adults by Telephone •Measurement: Social Desirability •Operational Definitions: Defining “Physical Abuse” of Children •Procedures: Controlling the Distribution of a Questionnaire •Experimental and Causal-Comparative Design: Forming Comparison •Groups in Classroom Research on Reading •Ethical Considerations: Prescreening Adolescents for Stress •Interpretation of Results: Health Risk Behaviors of Adolescents •The extensive instructor’s guide provides discussion points as well as samples of students’ answers obtained in the field tests. •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. •The 35 short cases are ideal for classroom discussions. The 18 longer ones make great homework assignments.

Table of Contents:
SECTION I: Short Cases Part A: Sampling Case 1: Sampling Hispanic Adults by Telephone Case 2: Using a Sample of Convenience Case 3: Using Quota Sampling Case 4: Using an Incentive to Increase Response Rate Case 5: Obtaining a Sample of Psychotherapy Clients Part B: Measurement Case 6: Measuring the Attractiveness of Participants Case 7: Measuring Social Desirability Case 8: Measuring Students’ Distant Memories Case 9: Evaluating an Acculturation Scale Case 10: Determining the Validity of Self-Reports Part C: Operational Definitions Case 11: Defining “Physical Abuse” of Children Case 12: Defining “Economic Well-Being” Case 13: Defining “Substance Abuse” Among Pregnant Women Case 14: Defining a “Social Interaction” Case 15: Defining “Sex” in a National Survey Part D: Procedures Case 16: Controlling the Distribution of a Questionnaire in a Nutrition Study Case 17: Identifying Duplicate Responses to an Anonymous Questionnaire Case 18: Using a Simulated Setting to Evaluate Disciplinary Fairness Training Case 19: Using Confederates in an Experiment Case 20: Working with Severely Angry Participants Part E: Experimental/Causal Comparative Designs Case 21: Selecting Participants for a Comparison of Asian and White Americans Case 22: Forming Experimental and Control Groups in a Study of Drug Prevention Case 23: Forming Comparison Groups in Classroom Research on Reading Case 24: Forming Comparison Groups for a Study of Postpartum Disorders Case 25: Identifying Comparison Groups for a Study of Childhood Abuse Part F: Protecting the Rights of Participants/Ethical Considerations Case 26: Using Deception in a Study of Social Interactions Case 27: Prescreening Adolescents for Stress Case 28: Estimating HIV Rates Among Young Men Case 29: Soliciting Professors for a Study of Their Intellect Case 30: Hiding the Purpose of a Study from Employees Part G: Interpretation of Results Case 31: Interpreting Cause-and-Effect: Health Risk Behaviors of Adolescents Case 32: Interpreting Results in Light of Social Desirability Case 33: Evaluating Attrition in a Study on Hypnosis Case 34: Interpreting Differences in Physical Victimization Case 35: Interpreting Reported Differences in Husbands’ Marital Aggression SECTION II: LONGER CASES Case 36: Using Interviews to Measure Mothers’ Use of Physical Discipline Descriptor: Measurement Case 37: Defining Group Therapy Used with Elementary School Children Descriptor: Operational Definition Case 38: Getting Informed Consent for Research During an Emergency Descriptor: Ethics Case 39: Interpreting Data on Cigarette Smoking by Seventh Graders Descriptor: Interpretation Case 40: Encouraging Responses to a Mailed Survey Descriptors: Sampling, Interpretation Case 41: Interpreting Limitations in a Study of Childhood Cancer and Stress Descriptors: Sampling, Interpretation Case 42: Studying the Sale of Alcoholic Beverages to Minors Descriptors: Sampling, Procedures, Ethics Case 43: Identifying Heroin Addicts Who Falsify Information Descriptors: Sampling, Measurement, Ethics Case 44: Observing Children’s Aggressiveness on the Playground Descriptors: Measurement, Ethics, Interpretation Case 45: Introducing Participants to a Study on Lie Telling Descriptors: Measurement, Operational Definitions, Procedures Case 46: Measuring Sex-Role Stereotyping Among Children Descriptors: Measurement, Ethics Case 47: Studying Suicide Ideation and Acculturation Among Adolescents Descriptors: Measurement, Ethics Case 48: Encouraging Truthfulness in Telephone Interviews Descriptors: Measurement, Interpretation Case 49: Estimating the Credibility of Young Children’s Reports Descriptors: Measurement, Ethics, Interpretation Case 50: Designing an Experiment on Cross-Cultural Training Descriptors: Measurement, Experimental Design, Ethics, Interpretation Case 51: Designing an Experiment on Worrying Among the Elderly Descriptors: Operational Definition, Experimental Design, Interpretation Case 52: Designing an Experiment on Reducing the Risk of Bulimia Descriptors: Operational Definition, Experimental Design Case 53: Interpreting a “Natural Experiment” on Anonymous Testing for HIV Descriptors: Causal Comparative Design, Interpretation