Published: August 2017
Page Count: 230
ISBN (Digital): 978-1-4533-8787-0

Principles of Sociological Inquiry: Qualitative and Quantitative Methods

Custom Version 1.0.3
By Amy Blackstone
Mirella Landriscina

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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.

1.1 Choosing a Topic

1.2 Starting Where You Already Are

1.3 Is It Empirical?

1.4 Is It Sociological?

1.5 Is It a Question?

1.6 Next Steps

1.7 Components of a Research Project

Chapter 2: Scientific Inquiry

2.1 Research Methods for Everyday Life

2.2 How Do We Know What We Know?

2.3 Science, Social Science, and Sociology

2.4 Doing Research for a Cause

2.5 Doing Research for a Living

Chapter 3: Research Design

3.1 How to Design a Research Project

3.2 Goals of the Research Project

3.3 Qualitative or Quantitative? Some Specific Considerations

3.4 Triangulation

Chapter 4: Survey Research: A Quantitative Technique

4.1 Why Survey Research?

4.2 Survey Research: What Is It and When Should It Be Used?

4.3 Pros and Cons of Survey Research

4.4 Types of Surveys

4.5 Designing Effective Questions and Questionnaires

Chapter 5: Data Analysis

5.1 Analysis of Survey Data

5.2 Reading Reports of Sociological Research

5.3 Analysis of Field Research Data

Chapter 6: Interviews: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches

6.1 Why Interview Research?

6.2 Interview Research: What Is It and When Should It Be Used?

6.3 Qualitative Interview Techniques and Considerations

6.4 Quantitative Interview Techniques and Considerations

6.5 Issues to Consider for All Interview Types

Chapter 7: Field Research: A Qualitative Technique

7.1 Why Field Research?

7.2 Field Research: What Is It and When to Use It?

7.3 Pros and Cons of Field Research

7.4 Getting In

7.5 Field Notes

Chapter 8: Unobtrusive Research: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches

8.1 Why Unobtrusive Research?

8.2 Unobtrusive Research: What Is It and When to Use It?

8.3 Pros and Cons of Unobtrusive Research

8.4 Unobtrusive Data Collected by You

8.5 Reliability in Unobtrusive Research

8.6 Analyzing Others’ Data

Chapter 9: Other Methods of Data Collection and Analysis

9.1 Why Additional Methods?

9.2 Focus Groups

9.3 Experiments

9.4 Ethnomethodology and Conversation Analysis

Chapter 10: Sampling

10.1 Who or What?

10.2 Populations Versus Samples

10.3 Sampling in Qualitative Research

10.4 Sampling in Quantitative Research

10.5 A Word of Caution: Questions to Ask About Samples

Chapter 11: Research Ethics

11.1 Ethics in Sociological Research

11.2 Research on Humans

11.3 Specific Ethical Issues to Consider

11.4 Ethics at Micro, Meso, and Macro Levels

11.5 The Practice of Science Versus the Uses of Science

Chapter 12: Linking Methods With Theory

12.1 What’s Theory Got to Do With It?

12.2 Micro, Meso, and Macro Approaches

12.3 Paradigms, Theories, and How They Shape a Researcher’s Approach

12.4 Inductive or Deductive? Two Different Approaches

12.5 Revisiting an Earlier Question

Chapter 13: Defining and Measuring Concepts

13.1 Measurement, Conceptualization, and Operationalization

13.2 Measurement

13.3 Conceptualization

13.4 Operationalization

13.5 Measurement Quality

13.6 Complexities in Measurement

Chapter 14: Sharing Your Work

14.1 Research as Public Activity

14.2 Deciding What to Share and With Whom to Share It

14.3 Presenting Your Research

14.4 Writing Up Research Results

14.5 Disseminating Findings

14.6 Public Sociology

14.7 Why Should We Care?

14.8 Revisiting an Earlier Question: Why Should We Care?

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.

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.

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 of Sociology at the University of Maine. 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, American Sociological Review, Contexts, and Families as They Really Are. Dr. Blackstone’s research has been featured in media outlets including New York Times, Washington Post, Salon, NPR, TODAY Show, Dr. Phil Primetime, 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.