Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods is a student-friendly introduction to quantitative research methods and basic statistics. It uses a detective theme throughout the text to show how quantitative methods have been used to solve real-life problems. The book focuses on principles and techniques that are appropriate to introductory level courses in media, psychology and sociology. Examples and illustrations are drawn from historical and contemporary research in the social sciences. The original CD-ROM accompanying the book and its content are no longer available.
This accessible and authoritative introduction is essential for education students and researchers needing to use quantitative methods for the first time. Using datasets from real-life educational research and avoiding the use of mathematical formulae, the author guides students through the essential techniques that they will need to know, explaining each procedure using the latest version of SPSS. The datasets can also be downloaded from the book′s website, enabling students to practice the techniques for themselves. This revised and updated second edition now also includes more advanced methods such as log linear analysis, logistic regression, and canonical correlation. Written specifically for those with no prior experience of quantitative research, this book is ideal for education students and researchers in this field.
Presents a comprehensive introduction to analysing quantitative linguistic data. Starting with an definition of quantitative data, and how it differs from qualitative data, Seb Rasinger examines what the student linguist is trying to find out through analysing data, and how quantitative techniques can help arrive at meaningful and accurate conclusions. This expanded, 2nd edition now also includes a discussion of Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and MANOVA, and provides a brief introduction to statistical meta-analysis. A companion website allows readers to download crib sheets and Excel templates for the main statistical tools. The book introduces: -using statistics -variables -reliability of data -describing data -analysing data -testing hypotheses -dealing with problematic data. Each chapter includes graphs and figures explaining theory through worked examples, chapter summaries, and exercises to aid student understanding. An appendix containing a summary of statistical formulae, excel commands and statistical tables is included and is an invaluable resource. Presenting a down-to-earth and readable introduction to quantitative research, this book is a useful how-to guide for students encountering quantitative data for the first time, or for postgraduates embarking on linguistic research projects.
Quantitative methodology is a highly specialized field, and as with any highly specialized field, working through idiosyncratic language can be very difficult made even more so when concepts are conveyed in the language of mathematics and statistics. The Sage Handbook of Quantitative Methodology for the Social Sciences was conceived as a way of introducing applied statisticians, empirical researchers, and graduate students to the broad array of state-of-the-art quantitative methodologies in the social sciences. The contributing authors of the Handbook were asked to write about their areas of expertise in a way that would convey to the reader the utility of their respective methodologies. Relevance to real-world problems in the social sciences is an essential ingredient of each chapter. The Handbook consists of six sections comprising twenty-five chapters, from topics in scaling and measurement, to advances in statistical modelling methodologies, and finally to broad philosophical themes that transcend many of the quantitative methodologies covered in this handbook.
An accessible introduction to the essential quantitative methods for making valuable business decisions Quantitative methods-research techniques used to analyze quantitative data-enable professionals to organize and understand numbers and, in turn, to make good decisions. Quantitative Methods: An Introduction for Business Management presents the application of quantitative mathematical modeling to decision making in a business management context and emphasizes not only the role of data in drawing conclusions, but also the pitfalls of undiscerning reliance of software packages that implement standard statistical procedures. With hands-on applications and explanations that are accessible to readers at various levels, the book successfully outlines the necessary tools to make smart and successful business decisions. Progressing from beginner to more advanced material at an easy-to-follow pace, the author utilizes motivating examples throughout to aid readers interested in decision making and also provides critical remarks, intuitive traps, and counterexamples when appropriate. The book begins with a discussion of motivations and foundations related to the topic, with introductory presentations of concepts from calculus to linear algebra. Next, the core ideas of quantitative methods are presented in chapters that explore introductory topics in probability, descriptive and inferential statistics, linear regression, and a discussion of time series that includes both classical topics and more challenging models. The author also discusses linear programming models and decision making under risk as well as less standard topics in the field such as game theory and Bayesian statistics. Finally, the book concludes with a focus on selected tools from multivariate statistics, including advanced regression models and data reduction methods such as principal component analysis, factor analysis, and cluster analysis. The book promotes the importance of an analytical approach, particularly when dealing with a complex system where multiple individuals are involved and have conflicting incentives. A related website features Microsoft Excel® workbooks and MATLAB® scripts to illustrate concepts as well as additional exercises with solutions. Quantitative Methods is an excellent book for courses on the topic at the graduate level. The book also serves as an authoritative reference and self-study guide for financial and business professionals, as well as readers looking to reinforce their analytical skills.
This textbook is an advanced introduction to quantitative methods for students in communication and allied social science disciplines that focuses on why and how to conduct research that contributes to social justice. Today’s researchers are inspired by the potential for scholarship to make a difference for society, to push toward more just and equitable ends, and to engage in dialogue with members of the public so that they can make decisions about how to navigate the social, cultural, and political world equipped with accurate, fair, and up-to-date knowledge. This book illustrates the mechanics and the meaning behind quantitative research methods by illustrating each step in the research design process with research addressing questions of social justice. It provides practical guidance for researchers who wish to engage in the transformation of structures, practices, and understandings in society through community and civic engagement and policy formation. It contains step-by-step guidance in quantitative methods—from conceptualization through all the stages of execution of a study, including providing a detailed guide for statistical analysis—and demonstrates how researchers can engage with social justice issues in systematic, rigorous, ethical, and meaningful ways. This text serves as a core or supplementary textbook for graduate and advanced undergraduate courses in research methods for communication and social sciences and fills a gap for a methods text that is responsive to the desire of scholars to conduct socially impactful research.
This exciting new core textbook offers a clear and practical introduction to quantitative methods, taking a project-based approach. The author's extensive knowledge and straightforward writing style ensure that students are steered through the process step-by-step, from developing research questions and preparing data for analysis, to explaining how to present data in appropriate formats, avoid bias, and write up results and reports. Featuring a comprehensive pedagogical framework and companion website, readers are encouraged to follow practice analyses as they go, with examples given in both SPSS and Excel, and templates are provided for students' own research. In addition to covering the research project, chapters also cover the essential mathematical and statistical analyses that are a logical consequence of posing a quantitative research methods question. This is the perfect text for all social science students studying introductory modules on quantitative methods, research methods or statistics at undergraduate or postgraduate level. It also functions as an effective guide for undergraduate and postgraduate students faced with an independent research project.
`This book offers an excellent description of quantitative and qualitative design and analysis taught in the context of three inquiry pathways: knowledge development, social inquiry, and social research. Furthermore, it provides an excellent overview of both quantitative and qualitative methods with regard to their different epistemologies, methods and techniques. Additionally, Punch provides (a) information guiding students in the use of computers for quantitative and qualitative analysis and (b) a wide range of illustrative examples to give the book a practical flavour.... I would not hesitate to recommend it to my undergraduate students' - Forum: Qualitative Social Research (www.qualitative-research.net) `A carefully crafted introduction to social research methodology. The author guides the reader through the research process in a comprehensive and logical way which is particularly helpful for the new researcher. A great resource for anyone involved in social research - novice or experienced' - Dr Mary Kellett, Open University Building on the success of An Introduction to Social Research, this Second Edition has been fully revised and updated to provide a broader coverage of a range of methodological approaches for third year and postgraduate students across the social sciences. New features include: - Wider coverage of qualitative research methods, including sections on action research and discourse analysis. - More pedagogical features such as student exercises and illustrative examples to ensure this is a practical, student-friendly guide. - More in-depth examination of the ethical issues involved in social research. A comprehensive and accessible introduction to qualitative, quantitative and mixed empirical methods, An Introduction to Social Research is an ideal starting point for all students and researchers in the social sciences.
The contributors to Best Practices in Quantitative Methods envision quantitative methods in the 21st century, identify the best practices, and, where possible, demonstrate the superiority of their recommendations empirically. Editor Jason W. Osborne designed this book with the goal of providing readers with the most effective, evidence-based, modern quantitative methods and quantitative data analysis across the social and behavioral sciences. The text is divided into five main sections covering select best practices in Measurement, Research Design, Basics of Data Analysis, Quantitative Methods, and Advanced Quantitative Methods. Each chapter contains a current and expansive review of the literature, a case for best practices in terms of method, outcomes, inferences, etc., and broad-ranging examples along with any empirical evidence to show why certain techniques are better. Key Features: Describes important implicit knowledge to readers: The chapters in this volume explain the important details of seemingly mundane aspects of quantitative research, making them accessible to readers and demonstrating why it is important to pay attention to these details. Compares and contrasts analytic techniques: The book examines instances where there are multiple options for doing things, and make recommendations as to what is the "best" choice—or choices, as what is best often depends on the circumstances. Offers new procedures to update and explicate traditional techniques: The featured scholars present and explain new options for data analysis, discussing the advantages and disadvantages of the new procedures in depth, describing how to perform them, and demonstrating their use. Intended Audience: Representing the vanguard of research methods for the 21st century, this book is an invaluable resource for graduate students and researchers who want a comprehensive, authoritative resource for practical and sound advice from leading experts in quantitative methods.
This textbook offers an essential introduction to survey research and quantitative methods. Building on the premise that statistical methods need to be learned in a practical fashion, the book guides students through the various steps of the survey research process and helps to apply those steps toward a real example. In detail, the textbook introduces students to the four pillars of survey research and quantitative analysis: (1) the importance of survey research, (2) preparing a survey, (3) conducting a survey and (4) analyzing a survey. Students are shown how to create their own questionnaire based on some theoretically derived hypotheses to achieve empirical findings for a solid dataset. Lastly, they use said data to test their hypotheses in a bivariate and multivariate realm. The book explains the theory, rationale and mathematical foundations of these tests. In addition, it provides clear instructions on how to conduct the tests in SPSS and Stata. Given the breadth of its coverage, the textbook is suitable for introductory statistics, survey research or quantitative methods classes in the social sciences.
