The Basics of Social Research [Paperback] Author: Amazon Prime Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering | Language: English | ISBN:
0495812242 | Format: PDF, EPUB
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This thorough revision of Babbie's standard-setting book presents a succinct, straightforward introduction to the field of research methods as practiced by social scientists. Contemporary examples such as terrorism, Alzheimer's disease, anti-gay prejudice and education, and the legalization of marijuana make this Fifth Edition thoroughly fascinating as it introduces you to the "how-tos" and "whys" of social research methods. The book's new qualitative coverage combined with its already strong quantitative material makes this new edition Babbie's best yet. Babbie, long respected in the field and renowned for his engaging and friendly writing style, gives you the tools you need for understanding social research methods and for applying these concepts both inside and outside the classroom as a researcher and as a consumer of research. With increased emphasis on qualitative research and practical applications, this Fifth Edition is authoritative yet student-friendly . . . and engaging enough to help you connect the dots between the world of social research and the real world.
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- Paperback: 576 pages
- Publisher: Cengage Learning; 5 edition (January 1, 2010)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0495812242
- ISBN-13: 978-0495812241
- Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.4 x 0.7 inches
- Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Honestly, I have very mixed feelings about this text. As a text-book, it's really not suitable for anything beyond an introductory class offered to freshman. I feel bad about saying that, but I found that Babbie went so out of his way to simplify and reduce the pain of social research that he really diluted his wealth of knowledge. I am using this book for a 300 level sociology course, and I find myself getting upset at how much I have to dig through anecdotes and inflated explanations to get to the information. On the flip side of that coin, I think Babbie conveys some really valuable information; it's simply obscured by a lack of brevity.
Personally, I like to keep some of my textbooks like this to use while I'm at work, but I don't think Babbie will make the cut. If you understand some of the concepts of social research (i.e. you've ever had a statistics course), it's somewhat elementary. There are also a lot of definitions and concepts that are hard to reference... something that could be fixed by a more robust glossary or index.
Pros:
Easy to follow - concepts explained in depth.
Steady, albeit slow pace.
Good graphics (also up to date photos).
Good chapter intros (with solid explanations of what you are going to get into).
Good chapter summaries (with a rehashing of the major topics covered).
Specific discussions of (largely free) social research analysis software.
Relevant discussion of research paradigms
Cons:
Slow, difficult to read simply because the information is spread out so much.
Needs a better glossary.
Needs to contain the discussion of particular topics better rather than diluting them.
The deciding factor in this book should be audience.
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