Principles Of Research In Behavioral Science

This book provides a comprehensive overview of research methods in the behavioral sciences, focusing primarily on the conceptual issues inherent in conducting research. It covers topics that are often omitted from other texts, including measurement issues, correlational research, qualitative research, and integrative literature reviews. The book also includes discussions of diversity issues as they related to behavioral science research. New to this edition are chapter boxes that focus on applied issues related to each chapter topic. Throughout the book, readable examples and informative tables and figures are provided. The authors also take a contemporary approach to topics such as research ethics, replication research, and data collection (including internet research).

Intended for beginning graduate or advanced undergraduate students, this book provides a comprehensive review of research methods used in psychology and related disciplines. It covers topics that are often omitted in other texts including correlational and qualitative research and integrative literature reviews. Basic principles are reviewed for those who need a refresher. The focus is on conceptual issues ¿ statistics are kept to a minimum. Featuring examples from all fields of psychology, the book addresses laboratory and field research. Chapters are written to be used independently, so instructors can pick and choose those that fit their course needs. Reorganized to parallel the steps of the research process, tips on writing reports are also provided. Each chapter features an outline, key terms, a summary, and questions and exercises that integrate chapter topics and put theory into practice. A glossary and an annotated list of readings are now included. Extensively updated throughout, the new edition features a new co-author, Mary Kite, and: ¿ New chapters on qualitative research and content analysis and another on integrative literature reviews including meta-analysis, critical techniques for today¿s research environment. ¿ A new chapter on exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis that addresses the use of path analysis and structural equation modeling. ¿ A new chapter on how to write a research report using APA style. ¿ Examples from cross-cultural and multi-cultural research, neuroscience, cognitive, and developmental psychology along with ones from social, industrial, and clinical psychology. ¿ More on Internet research and studies. ¿ Greatly expanded Part 3 on research designs with chapters on true experiments, field research, correlational and single-case designs, content analysis, and survey and qualitative research. ¿ A website with PowerPoint slides for each chapter, a test bank with short answer and multiple choice questions, additional teaching resources, and the tables and figures from the book for Instructor¿s and chapter outlines, suggested readings, and links to related web sites for students. Intended as a text for beginning graduate and/or advanced undergraduate courses in research methods or experimental methods or design taught in psychology, human development, family studies, education, or other social and behavioral sciences, a prerequisite of undergraduate statistics and a beginning research methods course is assumed.

An introduction to research methods that is designed for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate level courses, this text emphasizes question formulation, data collection, and the interpretation of results. The author assumes the reader has completed a course in research methods and statistics.

Revised edition of Principles of research in behavioral science, 2013.

A Research Primer for the Social and Behavioral Sciences provides an introductory but comprehensive overview of the research process that primarily concerns human subjects. This book discusses the methods of acquiring knowledge, importance of a well-chosen problem, review of the literature, and relationship between theory-building and hypothesis-testing. The common sources of invalidity in practice, non-experimental research types, Stevens' classification of scales, and estimation based on probabilistic sampling are also elaborated. This text likewise covers the role of computer in research, techniques for analysis of data, univariate and bivariate statistics, and assumptions underlying analysis of variance. Other topics include the canonical correlation analysis, non-parametric analysis of variance, deterministic problem analysis techniques, and common errors in presentation of findings. This publication is intended for novice investigators in the broad category of social and behavioral sciences.

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.

This book is written for student researchers, practitioners, and university faculty who are interested in answering applied research questions and objectively evaluating educational and clinical practices. The basic tenet of single-subject research methodology is that the individual is of primary importance and that each individual study participant serves as his or her own control. It is because of this focus on the individual that clinicians and educators have been using single-subject research designs for over 40 years to answer applied research questions. Although the methodology has its roots in behavioral psychology and applied behavioral analysis, it has been used by applied researchers across a variety of disciplines such as special education, speech and communication sciences, language and literacy, therapeutic recreation, occupational therapy, and social work. Key features include the following: Applied Focus – More than any other text, this one focuses on the nuts and bolts of how to use single-subject research in constructing one’s research project or in evaluating one’s professional practice. Numerous and Varied Examples – The book abounds in examples from special education and other disciplines and populations within the applied research literature. Reader Friendly – The text is written in a reader friendly style, features sample data sheets and graphic displays, and includes detailed guidelines for conducting visual analysis of graphic data. Expertise – The author’s long and distinguished career in teaching single-subject research is augmented in this book by contributions from other experts in the field.