Includes glossary and index. Ruane, J. M. (2016). Introducing social research methods : Essentials for getting the edge. Chichester, West Sussex : Wiley Blackwell.

How do we know what we know? science as a superior way of knowing -- The language of science and research: learning to talk the talk and walk the walk -- Ethics: it's the right thing to do -- Designing ideas: what do we want to know and how can we ge there? -- Measure by measure: developing measures - making the abstract concrete -- All the glitters is not gold: assessing the validity and reliability of measures -- One thing leads to another... or does it? tackling causal analysis -- The questionnaire: would you mind taking the time to answer a few questions? -- Having the talk: person to person information exchanges -- Find research: welcome to my world -- Sample this! how can so few tell us about so many? -- Show me this numbers: descriptive statistics and inferential statistics -- Pulling it together: a final synthesis

Introducing Social Research Methods: Essentials for Getting the Edge is a concise and student-friendly introduction to research methods that uses examples from around the world to illustrate the centrality of social science research in our everyday lives. * Explains complex, multi-faceted concepts and methodologies in straightforward prose * Designed for students who are new to or skeptical of social science research methods as useful tools for approaching real-world challenges * Persuasively argues that social scientific proficiency unlocks an array of personal and professional opportunities beyond the realms of academia * A supplementary website features a glossary, test bank, Power Point presentations, a comprehensive list of web resources, a guide to relevant TED lectures and much more.