            
 |
|
|
Research Methods for Political Science: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches, Second Edition
E-text available Click here to preview or purchase. |
||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
Comments/Reviews
Description: Thoroughly updated, more concise than the previous edition, and available for the first time in paperback, Research Methods for Political Science is designed to help students learn what to research, why to research, and how to research.
The text integrates both quantitative and qualitative approaches to research in one volume, and includes the most comprehensive coverage of qualitative methods currently available. It covers such important topics as research design, specifying research problems, designing questionnaries and writing questions, designing and carrying out qualitative research, and analyzing both quantitative and qualitative research data. Heavily illustrated, classroom tested, and exceptionally readable and engaging, the text also provides specific instructions on the use of available statistical software programs such as Excel and SPSS.
Selected Contents:
Preface and Acknowledgments
Introduction
PART 1. FOUNDATIONS OF POLITICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH
1. Research Fundamentals
Purposes for Political Science Research; The "Big Issues" in Political Science; Categories of Political Science Research; From Thematic Focus to Research Topics; Different Answers for Similar Problems; Defining Research; Summary; Discussion Questions; Additional Reading
2. Research Approaches and Methods
The Positivist Research Approach; The Postpositivist Revolution; A New Beginning for Research; Research Methods in Political Science; Three Common Positivist Research Approaches; Postpositivist Research Approaches; Summary; Discussion Questions; Additional Reading
3. Understanding the Research Process
Steps in the Research Process; Step 1. Identifying the Research Problem; Step 2. Establishing Research Objectives; Step 3. Deciding on a Research Strategy; Step 4. Prepare a Research Plan; Step 5. Gather the Data; Step 6. Analyze and Interpret the Data; Step 7. Prepare and Present the Findings; Summary; Discussion Questions; Additional Reading
4. Selecting a Research Design and Choosing a Research Topic
Quantitative Designs; Qualitative Designs; Combined Research Designs; Choosing a Research Topic; Tasks in Problem Definition; Choosing a Research Theme or Position; Summary; Discussion Questions; Additional Reading
5. Preparing a Research Proposal
Contents of a Typical Research Proposal; The Finished Product; Summary; Discussion Questions; Additional Reading
6. The Legal and Ethical Environment of Research
The Meaning of Ethics; How Can You Know Which Is the Right Decision?; Five Important Research Problem Areas; Research Ethics; Summary; Discussion Questions; Additional Reading
PART 2. QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH APPROACHES AND METHODS
7. Introduction to Quantitative Research and Sampling
Fundamentals of Measurement; Issues of Reliability and Validity; Defining Statistics; Categories of Statistics; Parameters vs. Statistics; Descriptive Statistics and Inferential Statistics; Statistics in Political Science Research; Introduction to Sampling; Some Sampling Methods; Dealing with Error and Bias in Sampling; Nonresponse Error; The Meaning of Sample Distributions; Summary; Discussion Questions; Additional Reading
8. Exploratory Research: The Probing Approach
Purposes for Exploratory Research; Methods in Exploratory Data Collection; Analyzing Exploratory Data; Summary; Discussion Questions; Additional Reading
9. Descriptive Research: The Survey Approach
Advantages of Using Questionnaires; Some Characteristics of Questionnaires; How to Prepare Your Own Questionnaire; Developing and Wording Questions; Projective Techniques; Developing and Using Scales; Other Types of Scales; Summary; Discussion Questions; Additional Reading
10. Causal Research: The Experimental Approach
Key Concepts in Experimental Design; Approaches to Experimental Design; Testing Differences with Student's t-Test; Different Approaches for the t-Test; Comparing Scores of More Than Two Groups; Three Versions of ANOVA; Summary; Discussion Questions; Additional Reading
11. Interpreting Exploratory and Descriptive Statistics
Measures of Central Tendency; Measures of Variability; Measures of Relative Position; Measures of Correlation; Calculating Descriptive Statistics with Excel; Summary; Discussion Questions; Additional Reading
12. Testing Research Hypotheses
Fundamentals of Hypothesis Testing; Classes of Hypothesis Tests; Probability and Hypothesis Testing; The Concept of Error in Hypothesis Testing; One-Sample Hypothesis Tests; The Excel Confidence Test; Normal Distribution Tests; Summary; Discussion Questions; Additional Reading
13. Introduction to Nonparametric Statistics
Nonparametric Analogs of Parametric Tests; Nonparametric Tests for Location; One-Sample Nonparametric Tests; The K-S One-Sample Test for Ordinal Data; Nonparametric Tests for Differences; Two Related-Sample Tests; Three or More Independent Sample Tests; Three or More Independent Sample Tests; Nonparametric Relationship Tests; Tests for Nominal Level Data; Ordinal Data Association Tests; Summary; Discussion Questions; Additional Reading
14. Correlation and Regression Analysis
Relationship Test Applications; Correlation Analysis; Correlation Statistics; Simple Regression Analysis; A Simple Regression Example; Multiple Regression Analysis; Multiple Regression with Dummy Variables; Summary; Discussion Questions; Additional Reading
15. Exploring Multivariate Statistics
Multiple Regression Analysis; Multiple Regression with Dummy Variables; Predicting with Discriminant Analysis; Group-Classification Applications; Factor and Cluster Analysis Methods; Factor Analysis; Conducting a Factor Analysis with SPSS; Cluster Analysis; Multiple Analysis of Variance (MANOVA); Summary; Discussion Questions; Additional Reading
PART 3. QUALITATIVE RESEARCH APPROACHES AND METHODS
16. Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods
Qualitative Research Strategies; Which Strategy Is Best?; Analyzing and Interpreting Qualitative Data; Summary; Discussion Questions; Additional Reading
17. The Explanatory Approach: Case and Historical Methods
Case Method Research; What Is a Case Study?; Three Types of Case Studies; When to Use the Case Study Approach; The Single-Case Study; The Multi-Case Method; Steps in the Case Study Method; Important Guidelines for Case Study Reports; Historical Research in Political Science; Capturing the Nature of Political History; Conducting Historical Research; Summary; Discussion Questions; Additional Reading
18. The Interpretive Approach I: Grounded Theory Methods
Early Goals for Grounded Theory; Importance of Grouping and Coding; Two Approaches to Grounded Theory; Steps in the Grounded Theory Process; A Seven-Stage Model for Grounded Theory Research; The Final Stage: Development of a Theory; A Brief Caveat about the Method; Grounded Theory Research in Practice; Grounded Theory and Public Policy; Summary; Discussion Questions; Additional Reading
19. The Interpretive Approach II: Ethnographic Research Methods
Industrialization and the Social Sciences; Ethnography, Ethology, or Ethnology?; Ethnography in Political Science Research; Urbanism Research; Ethnography and Organizational Culture; Summary; Discussion Questions; Additional Reading
20. The Critical Approach: Feminist and Empowerment Research
The Feminist Research Model; Empowerment Research; Summary; Discussion Questions; Additional Reading
21. Analysis Methods for Qualitative Data
What Are Qualitative Data?; Components of Qualitative Data Analysis; Bringing Order to Raw Qualitative Data; A Nine-Step Analysis Process; The Jones Qualitative Data Analysis Process; Analysis of Ethnographic Study Data; Computer Analysis of Qualitative Data; Summary; Discussion Questions; Additional Reading
22. Analyzing Texts, Documents, and Artifacts
Analysis of Texts as Data; Reviewing the Relevant Literature; Document Research Using Archival Data; Performing a Meta-analysis of Existing Research; Hermeneutic Analysis of Text and Nontext Material; Semiotics: The Analysis of Signs and Symbols; Content, Narrative, and Discourse Analysis; Examining Material Culture (Artifact Analysis); Summary; Discussion Questions; Additional Reading
PART 4. PREPARING AND PRESENTING RESEARCH FINDINGS
23. Organizing Information in Tables, Charts and Graphs
Making Sense out of Raw Data; Preparing a Stem-and-Leaf Diagram; Communicating with Charts and Graphs; Summary; Discussion Questions; Additional Reading
24. Organizing and Writing a Research Report
How to Structure a Research Report; Sections in a Research Report; Style: First Person or Third person?; Conclusions and/or Recommendations Section; Style in Research Report Writing; Style in the Bibliography (References) Section; Some Standard Style Requirements; Other Style Manuals; Special Requirements for Political Science Research Papers; Summary; Discussion Questions; Additional Reading
25. Introduction to Statistical Software
How Do I Start Using SPSS?; The SPSS Opening Screen; Entering Variable Labels; Working with the Data Editor Toolbar; Processing Numerical Data with SPSS; Variable Labels; Value Labels; Missing Values; Data Types; Entering Data; Putting SPSS to Work; Using the Frequencies Dialogue Box; Univariate Descriptive Statistics for Continuous Measurements; Bivariate Descriptive Statistics; Measures of Association; Summary; Discussion Questions; Additional Reading
References
Author Index
Subject Index
About the Author
Comment(s): "David McNabb has provided the field of political science with a superb text for research methods courses. After class-testing the manuscript, my students lavishly praised the book for its clarity, its skill at presenting the many dimensions of research methods, and its adroit sections on statistical methods. This text should be very widely adopted and I recommend it highly." -- Larry Geri, The Evergreen State University (on the previous edition)
    
|