Social Science Experiments

This book is designed for an undergraduate one-semester course in experimental research primarily targeting programs in sociology political science environmental studies psychology and communications. Aimed at those with limited technical background this introduction to social science experiments takes a practical hands-on approach. After explaining key features of experimental designs Green takes students through exercises designed to build appreciation for the nuances of design implementation analysis and interpretation. Using applications and statistical examples from many social science fields the textbook illustrates the breadth of what may be learned through experimental inquiry. A chapter devoted to research ethics introduces broader ethical considerations including research transparency. The culminating chapter prepares readers for their own social science experiments offering examples of studies that can be conducted ethically inexpensively and quickly. Replication datasets and R code for all examples and exercises are available online.