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Making Sense of the Social World
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Making Sense of the Social World
Methods of Investigation

Seventh Edition
Available with:
Learning platform
September 2024 | 440 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
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The bestselling Making Sense of the Social World: Methods of Investigation introduces social science research methods as a way to study diverse social processes and to improve our understanding of social issues. Each chapter illustrates principles and techniques in research methods through interesting examples drawn from social science investigations and everyday experiences. The many updates to the Seventh Edition include: new examples of contemporary research, including on social media and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; new developments in methods, including the challenges of the 2020 U.S. Census, survey response rates and survey question design, and more emphasis on culturally responsive research ethics; a new “Research in the News” feature in every chapter gives topical examples of social research from the news media; and new statistical data incorporated throughout, including from the 2022 General Social Survey.

This text is offered in Sage Vantage, an intuitive learning platform that integrates quality Sage textbook content with assignable multimedia activities and auto-graded assessments to drive student engagement and ensure accountability. Unparalleled in its ease of use and built for dynamic teaching and learning, Vantage offers customizable LMS integration and best-in-class support.

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Chapter 1: Science, Society, and Social Research
 
Chapter 2: The Process and Problems of Social Research
 
Chapter 3: Ethics in Research
 
Chapter 4: Conceptualization and Measurement
 
Chapter 5: Sampling and Generalizability
 
Chapter 6: Causation and Experimental Design
 
Chapter 7: Survey Research
 
Chapter 8: Elementary Quantitative Data Analysis
 
Chapter 9: Qualitative Methods
 
Chapter 10: Qualitative Data Analysis
 
Chapter 11: Unobtrusive Measures
 
Chapter 12: Evaluation Research
 
Chapter 13: Reviewing, Proposing, and Reporting Research
 
Appendix A: Finding Information

A good read, especially for my undergraduate students

Dr Alice Lungu
Urban Studies, Copperbelt University
March 3, 2025
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Key features
NEW TO THIS EDITION:
  • The new edition is available in Sage Vantage, an intuitive learning platform that integrates quality Sage textbook content with assignable multimedia activities and auto-graded assessments to drive student engagement and ensure accountability. Unparalleled in its ease of use and built for dynamic teaching and learning, Vantage offers customizable LMS integration and best-in-class support.
    • Flashcards and note-taking tools help students better prepare for class.
    • NEW! Audiobook Player allows students to listen to text content, boosting comprehension and retention. It offers flexible, on-the-go access, engaging both reluctant readers and auditory learners, improving the overall reading experience.
    • The Offline Reading option in the Student Dashboard offers greater accessibility to Vantage’s reading content, regardless of where students are or how strong their internet connection may be.
  • New examples of contemporary research, including on social media and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • New developments in methods, including the challenges of the 2020 U.S. Census, survey response rates and survey question design, and more emphasis on culturally responsive research ethics.
  • The new Research in the News feature in every chapter gives topical examples of social research from the news media.
  • New statistical data is incorporated throughout, including data from the 2022 General Social Survey.
KEY FEATURES:
  • The authors' concise, clear, and engaging discussions of substantial content make this a social research methods textbook that students actually like to read.
  • Illustrations and examples are taken from classical and contemporary studies that students will recognize from other classes, as well as cutting-edge social science on current events.
  • Wide-ranging examples with real data offer interesting and relevant real-world applications for students.
  • Carefully developed coverage of all essential elements of social research includes validity, causation, experimental and quasi-experimental design, and techniques of analysis.
  • Discussions of causation and experimental design are combined into a single chapter to focus on the issues that are most often encountered during research in sociology, criminal justice, education, social work, communications, and political science.
  • A full chapter (Ch. 3) of coverage devoted to research ethics.

Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapter 1-2

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