Proposing Empirical Research

<p><em>Proposing Empirical Research: A Guide to the Fundamentals</em> provides step-by-step instructions for students who will be writing their first research proposal in the social and behavioral sciences and using both quantitative and qualitative methods.</p><p>The structure of the book enables students to work independently with confidence while writing the first drafts of their proposals. Each major section is divided into short topics and for each topic, students are asked to complete an exercise that leads them toward the goal of preparing a proposal. Numerous illustrative examples throughout the book make the recommendations for proposal writing come alive. In addition, the 10 model proposals provided at the end of the book illustrate proposal writing and provide material for classroom discussions.</p><p>New to the Sixth Edition:</p><ul> <p> </p> <li>Updates throughout to reflect research and learning in the digital/online environment, e.g., online surveys, digital organization tools, digital recruitment methods for research, and digital databases, records, and archives.</li> <p> </p> <li>Discussion of qualitative methods.</li> <p> </p> <li>Updated references, model proposals, end of chapter exercises etc.</li> </ul><p>Proposing Empirical Research is ideal for use in research methods classes where students write a proposal as a term project, thesis/dissertation preparation classes, senior research seminars where proposing and conducting research is a culminating undergraduate activity, and any graduate-level seminar in which the instructor wants to incorporate a project that will engage students in critical thinking about the content area.</p> <p><em>Introduction to the Sixth Edition</em> </p><p>Part A: Getting Started </p><p>Topic 1. What Is Empirical Research? </p><p>Topic 2. Identifying Broad Problem Areas </p><p>Topic 3. Evaluating Broad Problem Areas </p><p>Topic 4. Identifying and Combining Variables </p><p>Topic 5. Identifying Treatment Variables </p><p>Topic 6. Considering Demographic Variables </p><p>Topic 7. Writing Purposes and Hypotheses </p><p>Part B: A Closer Look at Problem Selection </p><p>Topic 8. Finding Ideas in the Literature </p><p>Topic 9. Considering a Body of Literature </p><p>Topic 10. Considering Theories and Frameworks </p><p>Topic 11. Determining Feasibility </p><p>Part C: Selecting a Research Approach </p><p>Topic 12. Qualitative Research </p><p>Topic 13. Survey Research </p><p>Topic 14. Correlational Research </p><p>Topic 15. Test Development Research </p><p>Topic 16. Experimental Research </p><p>Topic 17. Causal-Comparative Research </p><p>Topic 18. Program Evaluation </p><p>Part D: Organizing and Evaluating Literature </p><p>Topic 19. Organizing Literature by Topics </p><p>Topic 20. Evaluating Research Literature </p><p>Topic 21. Considering the History of a Topic </p><p>Part E: Application and Writing </p><p>Topic 22. A Separate Introduction </p><p>Topic 23. An Integrated Introduction and Literature Review </p><p>Topic 24. Writing the First Paragraph(s) </p><p>Topic 25. Using a Topic Outline </p><p>Topic 26. Being Selective and Critical </p><p>Part F: Proposing a Sample </p><p>Topic 27. Sampling in Qualitative Research </p><p>Topic 28. Random Sampling </p><p>Topic 29. Other Methods of Sampling: I </p><p>Topic 30. Other Methods of Sampling: II </p><p>Topic 31. Sample Size </p><p>Part G: Proposing Instrumentation </p><p>Topic 32. Qualitative Instrumentation </p><p>Topic 33. Proposing Published Instruments </p><p>Topic 34. Proposing New Instruments </p><p>Topic 35. Proposing to Measure Demographics </p><p>Topic 36. Ethical Issues in Measurement Methods</p><p>Part H: Proposing Procedures </p><p>Topic 37. Nonexperimental Procedures </p><p>Topic 38. Procedures in Experiments </p><p>Topic 39. Ethical Issues and Procedures </p><p>Part I: Proposing Methods of Analysis </p><p>Topic 40. Qualitative Analysis </p><p>Topic 41. Analysis of Demographics </p><p>Topic 42. Relationships: Nominal </p><p>Topic 43. Relationships: Equal Interval </p><p>Topic 44. Group Differences </p><p>Part J: Writing the Discussion and Other Concluding Tasks </p><p>Topic 45. Writing a Discussion Section </p><p>Topic 46. Giving the Proposal a Title </p><p>Topic 47. Preparing an Abstract </p><p>Topic 48. Developing a Timeline </p><p>Topic 49. Preparing a Reference List </p><p>Part K: Model Research Proposals for Discussion </p><p>Model Proposal 1: A Survey </p><p>Model Proposal 2: A Survey </p><p>Model Proposal 3: Test Development Research </p><p>Model Proposal 4: Single-Subject Research </p><p>Model Proposal 5: Quasi-Experimental Research </p><p>Model Proposal 6: True Experiment </p><p>Model Proposal 7: Qualitative Research with Focus Groups </p><p>Model Proposal 8: Qualitative Research with Interviews </p><p>Model Proposal 9: Combined Qualitative and Quantitative Research </p><p>Model Proposal 10: Ethnographic Study</p><p>Appendix A: Locating Literature Electronically </p><p>Appendix B: Electronic Sources of Statistical Information</p>