This Handbook addresses the methodology of social science research and the appropriate use of different methods.

An introduction to how social psychological theories, methods and interventions can be applied to manage real-world social problems.

"The Terry E. Hedrick, Leonard Bickman, and Debra J. Rog text provides a framework for designing research that is adaptable to almost any applied setting and constantly reiterates the need for establishing and maintaining credibility with the client at each level of the research process. Although the applied research book is a practical guide, suitable to accompany any thorough applied design textbook, it does a comprehensive job of presenting the distinction between basic and applied research. It introduces many topics found in the general methodology textbooks. This overlap will help students to feel comfortable in using the general skills in a more specific and complex manner." --Contemporary Psychology "For researchers needing to know how to plan and design applied research projects, Applied Research Design will be a most welcome publication. . . . The writing is clear and concise, graphics are utilized helpfully, and this book will be much appreciated by beginning social scientists who are serious but uncertain about the methodologies possible for doing applied research." --Academic Library Book Review Aimed at helping researchers and students make the transition from the classroom and the laboratory to the "real" world, the authors reveal pitfalls to avoid and strategies to undertake in order to overcome obstacles in the design and planning of applied research. Applied Research Design focuses on refining research questions when actual events force deviations from the original analysis. To accomplish this, the authors discuss how to study and monitor program implementation, statistical power analysis, and how to assess the human and material resources needed to conduct an applied research design to facilitate the management of data collection, analysis, and interpretation. Appropriate for professionals and researchers who have had some previous exposure to research methods, this book will enable the development of research strategies that are credible, useful, and--more important--feasible.

Essential management guidance for real-world applied research projects Managing Applied Social Research equips you with the skills, strategies, and knowledge you need to effectively manage research projects. Written by a team of nationally-known researchers, this book covers the systematic management of applied social research studies from 'soup to nuts,' providing researchers with an easy-to-follow process and the tools and templates for improving the quality, ethical conduct, and usefulness of the final products. The authors merge expertise adapted from the field of project management with their decades of experience in using established research methodologies and practices to offer readers; practical examples and insights gleaned from major research houses such as Rand, Urban Institute, Mathematica, American Institutes for Research, and others. Key concepts and methodologies are systematically unpacked, with detailed discussion of both theoretical bases and practical applications in the field. Written in plain English, the case studies and vignettes illustrate typical approaches to different scenarios, and the checklists, templates, and other tools provide guides for action. Starting from basic social research strategies, you'll build an understanding of applied research issues and how projects are best managed in a messy, imperfect world. From conceptualization and proposal through implementation, analysis, and reporting, this book helps you lead your projects to success. Learn the skills and concepts necessary to effectively manage applied research projects for the social science disciplines Anticipate and prepare for common challenges and obstacles Understand the various roles and their requisite tasks and responsibilities Learn strategies for making effective decisions about a study's scope, work, schedule, people, budget, and risks during each phase of the research study Social science research is an essential well of information upon which society is run. Proper management is the key to any research project's success, and success becomes more critical in the field given the potential ramifications in terms of policy and its effects on real, everyday people. Managing Applied Social Research provides sound guidance and expert insight with an essential real-world focus.

This important book examines how social science is applied now and how it might be applied in the future in relation to social transformation in a time of crisis.

Research that has been presented primarily by quantitative research can benefit from the voice of the participants and the added value of the different perspective that qualitative research can provide. The purpose of mixed methods research is to draw from the positive aspects of both research paradigms to better answer the research question. This type of research is often used in schools, businesses, and non-profit organizations as they strive to address and resolve questions that will impact their organizations. Applied Social Science Approaches to Mixed Methods Research is an academic research publication that examines more traditional and common research methods and how they can be complimented through qualitative counterparts. The content within this publication covers an array of topics such as entrepreneurship, social media, and marginalization. It is essential for researchers, academicians, non-profit professionals, business professionals, and higher education faculty, and specifically targets master or doctoral students committed to writing their theses, dissertations, or scholarly articles, who may not have had the benefit of working on a traditional research team.

This book about responsible and evidence-based decision making is written for those interested in improving the decisions that affect people’s lives. It describes how to define policy research questions so that evidence can be applied to them, how to find and synthesize existing evidence, how to generate new evidence if needed, how to make acceptable recommendations that can solve policy problems without negative side effects, and how to describe evidence and recommendations in a manner that changes minds. Policies are not just the decisions made by a country’s rulers or elected officials; policies are also set by corporate executives, managers of department stores, and project leaders in non-profit organizations pursuing environmental protection. The authors’ suggestion are based on the fundamental belief that evidence-based decision making is superior to decisions based purely on opinion, intuition, and emotion. Because much has happened since 1984 when the first edition was published, this is a substantially different book with a new co-author, new and updated examples, new chapters, and new frameworks for understanding.

With the primary objective of raising ethical sensibility, this volume details the ethical problems and dilemmas faced by applied social science researchers. Issues such as the use of deception, the participant's right to privacy and informed consent, and the potential harm of public disclosure are confronted. The author discusses the need to review ethical problems and their implications in the context of current ethical standards in both society and the scientific community. Case studies illustrate unanticipated ethical dilemmas which might emerge during a research project. Issues are presented and interpreted clearly so that their complexity can be penetrated and potential solutions envisioned. The volume also includes specific methodolo

The SAGE Handbook of Social Research Methods is a must for every social-science researcher. It charts the new and evolving terrain of social research methodology, covering qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods in one volume. The Handbook includes chapters on each phase of the research process: research design, methods of data collection, and the processes of analyzing and interpreting data. The volume maintains that there is much more to research than learning skills and techniques; methodology involves the fit between theory, research questions research design and analysis. The book also includes several chapters that describe historical and current directions in social research, debating crucial subjects such as qualitative versus quantitative paradigms, how to judge the credibility of types of research, and the increasingly topical issue of research ethics. The Handbook serves as an invaluable resource for approaching research with an open mind. This volume maps the field of social research methods using an approach that will prove valuable for both students and researchers.

This book is designed to introduce doctoral and graduate students to the process of conducting scientific research in the social sciences, business, education, public health, and related disciplines. It is a one-stop, comprehensive, and compact source for foundational concepts in behavioral research, and can serve as a stand-alone text or as a supplement to research readings in any doctoral seminar or research methods class. This book is currently used as a research text at universities on six continents and will shortly be available in nine different languages.