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Cover of Principles of Sociological Inquiry: Qualitative and Quantitative Methods v1.0
Published: 
February 2012
Page Count: 
236
ISBN (Digital): 
978-1-4533-2889-7

Principles of Sociological Inquiry: Qualitative and Quantitative Methods

Version 1.0
By Amy Blackstone

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  • Learning objectives at the start of every section.
  • Key take-aways and exercises concluding each section.
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In Principles of Sociological Inquiry: Qualitative and Quantitative Methods, Blackstone stresses the importance of understanding research methods in order to pursue an advanced degree. As an active researcher herself, Blackstone is acutely aware of the need for a balanced approach of both qualitative and quantitative methods of sociological inquiry. Therefore, the three overriding objectives of this textbook are: Relevance, Balance, and Accessibility. Blackstone emphasizes the relevance of research methods for the everyday lives of its readers, undergraduate students.

  • About the Author
  • Acknowledgments
  • Preface

    • Chapter 1: Introduction

  • 1.1 Research Methods for Everyday Life
  • 1.2 How Do We Know What We Know?
  • 1.3 Science, Social Science, and Sociology
  • 1.4 Why Should We Care?
  • 1.5 Design and Goals of This Text

    • Chapter 2: Linking Methods With Theory

  • 2.1 What’s Theory Got to Do With It?
  • 2.2 Micro, Meso, and Macro Approaches
  • 2.3 Paradigms, Theories, and How They Shape a Researcher’s Approach
  • 2.4 Inductive or Deductive? Two Different Approaches
  • 2.5 Revisiting an Earlier Question

    • Chapter 3: Research Ethics

  • 3.1 Ethics in Sociological Research
  • 3.2 Research on Humans
  • 3.3 Specific Ethical Issues to Consider
  • 3.4 Ethics at Micro, Meso, and Macro Levels
  • 3.5 The Practice of Science Versus the Uses of Science

    • Chapter 4: Beginning a Research Project

  • 4.1 Choosing a Topic
  • 4.2 Starting Where You Already Are
  • 4.3 Is It Empirical?
  • 4.4 Is It Sociological?
  • 4.5 Is It a Question?
  • 4.6 Next Steps

    • Chapter 5: Research Design

  • 5.1 How to Design a Research Project
  • 5.2 Goals of the Research Project
  • 5.3 Qualitative or Quantitative? Some Specific Considerations
  • 5.4 Triangulation
  • 5.5 Components of a Research Project

    • Chapter 6: Defining and Measuring Concepts

  • 6.1 Measurement, Conceptualization, and Operationalization
  • 6.2 Measurement
  • 6.3 Conceptualization
  • 6.4 Operationalization
  • 6.5 Measurement Quality
  • 6.6 Complexities in Measurement

    • Chapter 7: Sampling

  • 7.1 Who or What?
  • 7.2 Populations Versus Samples
  • 7.3 Sampling in Qualitative Research
  • 7.4 Sampling in Quantitative Research
  • 7.5 A Word of Caution: Questions to Ask About Samples

    • Chapter 8: Survey Research: A Quantitative Technique

  • 8.1 Why Survey Research?
  • 8.2 Survey Research: What Is It and When Should It Be Used?
  • 8.3 Pros and Cons of Survey Research
  • 8.4 Types of Surveys
  • 8.5 Designing Effective Questions and Questionnaires
  • 8.6 Analysis of Survey Data

    • Chapter 9: Interviews: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches

  • 9.1 Why Interview Research?
  • 9.2 Interview Research: What Is It and When Should It Be Used?
  • 9.3 Qualitative Interview Techniques and Considerations
  • 9.4 Quantitative Interview Techniques and Considerations
  • 9.5 Issues to Consider for All Interview Types

    • Chapter 10: Field Research: A Qualitative Technique

  • 10.1 Why Field Research?
  • 10.2 Field Research: What Is It and When to Use It?
  • 10.3 Pros and Cons of Field Research
  • 10.4 Getting In
  • 10.5 Field Notes
  • 10.6 Analysis of Field Research Data

    • Chapter 11: Unobtrusive Research: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches

  • 11.1 Why Unobtrusive Research?
  • 11.2 Unobtrusive Research: What Is It and When to Use It?
  • 11.3 Pros and Cons of Unobtrusive Research
  • 11.4 Unobtrusive Data Collected by You
  • 11.5 Analyzing Others’ Data
  • 11.6 Reliability in Unobtrusive Research

    • Chapter 12: Other Methods of Data Collection and Analysis

  • 12.1 Why Additional Methods?
  • 12.2 Focus Groups
  • 12.3 Experiments
  • 12.4 Ethnomethodology and Conversation Analysis

    • Chapter 13: Sharing Your Work

  • 13.1 Research as Public Activity
  • 13.2 Deciding What to Share and With Whom to Share It
  • 13.3 Presenting Your Research
  • 13.4 Writing Up Research Results
  • 13.5 Disseminating Findings

    • Chapter 14: Reading and Understanding Social Research

  • 14.1 Sociology in Everyday Life
  • 14.2 Reading Reports of Sociological Research
  • 14.3 Being a Responsible Consumer of Research
  • 14.4 Media Reports of Sociological Research
  • 14.5 Sociological Research: It’s Everywhere

    • Chapter 15: Research Methods in the Real World

  • 15.1 Applying What You’ve Learned
  • 15.2 Doing Research for a Living
  • 15.3 Doing Research for a Cause
  • 15.4 Public Sociology
  • 15.5 Revisiting an Earlier Question: Why Should We Care?
    • Instructor’s Manual

    Instructor’s Manual

    The Instructor’s Manual guides you through the main concepts of each chapter and important elements such as learning objectives, key terms, and key takeaways. Can include answers to chapter exercises, group activity suggestions, and discussion questions.

    Instructor’s Manual

    PowerPoint Lecture Notes

    PowerPoint Lecture Notes

    A PowerPoint presentation highlighting key learning objectives and the main concepts for each chapter are available for you to use in your classroom. You can either cut and paste sections or use the presentation as a whole.

    PowerPoint Lecture Notes

    Test Item File

    Test Item File

    Need assistance in supplementing your quizzes and tests? Our test-item files (in Word format) contain many multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, and short-answer questions.

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    Amy Blackstone University of Maine

    Amy Blackstone is Professor in Sociology and the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center at the University of Maine where she directs Maine NEW Leadership, a residential institute for undergraduate students interested in women’s civic and political leadership. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, her research includes studies of workplace harassment, childfree adults, and civic engagement. Her work has appeared in a variety of journals and edited volumes including Gender & Society, Law & Society Review, American Sociological Review, and the Journal of Contemporary Ethnography. Dr. Blackstone’s research has been featured in media outlets including TIME, CNN, The Katie Show, Elle, BuzzFeed, Bloomberg News, The Atlantic, and other national and international venues. She is author of CHILDFREE BY CHOICE: The Movement Redefining Family and Creating a New Age of Independence (Dutton, 2019). Blackstone has received the University of Maine’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Outstanding Faculty Award in Teaching/Advising. She received her PhD in sociology at the University of Minnesota and her BA in sociology at Luther College.
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