Understanding and Applying Research Design

447 Pages·2012·33.25 MB·English

by  Martin Lee Abbott

UNDERSTANDING
AND APPLYING
RESEARCH DESIGN

UNDERSTANDING
AND APPLYING
RESEARCH DESIGN
Martin Lee Abbott
Jennifer McKinney
Seattle Pacific University
A JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC., PUBLICATION
Cover Image: Courtesy of Dominic Williamson
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Abbott, Martin, 1949-
Understanding and applying research design / Martin Lee Abbott, Jennifer McKinney.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-1-118-09648-2 (cloth)
1. Research–Methodology. 2. Research–Statistical methods. I. McKinney, Jennifer, 1969- II. Title.
Q180.55.M4A236 2013
001.4'2–dc23
2012010997
Printed in the United States of America.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
To
Joyce and William McKinney
Hannah Mary and Jacob Hovan

CONTENTS
Preface xvii
Acknowledgments xix
PART I WHEEL OF SCIENCE: PREMISES OF RESEARCH 1
1
“DUH” SCIENCE VERSUS “HUH” SCIENCE 3
How Do We Know What We Know? 3
Common Sense versus Science 6
“Duh” Science 6
“Huh Science” 8
How Does Social Science Research Actually Work? 10
What Are the Basic Assumptions of Science? 12
Common Sense Is Not Enough: Errors in How We Observe 12
Exercise: Should Marijuana Be Made Legal? 15
2
THEORIES AND HYPOTHESES 21
What are Theories? 22
What are Hypotheses? 25
Operationalizing Variables 28
Exercise: Operationalizing Concepts 29
Independent and Dependent Variables 34
3
OBSERVATION AND EMPIRICAL GENERALIZATION 35
Quantitative Designs 36
Surveys 36
Aggregate Data 38
vii
viii Contents
Exercise: Using the Religious Congregations and Membership Study 39
Experiments 39
Qualitative Designs 41
Field Research 42
Content Analysis 44
Reliability and Validity 45
Empirical Generalizations 47
Correlational versus Causal Relationships 48
Types of Research 49
Pure Research 49
Applied Research 50
Evaluation Research 50
Action Research 51
4
ETHICS 52
Human Subjects Abuses 55
Protection of Humans in Research 56
Professional Ethical Standards 61
PART II WHEEL OF SCIENCE: PROCEDURES OF RESEARCH 63
5
MEASUREMENT 65
Variables and Constants 65
Operationalization 66
Variation 68
Constants 73
Levels of Measurement 74
Exercise: Levels of Measurement 79
Units of Analysis 79
Exercise: Units of Analysis 80
Reliability and Validity of Measures 80
6
USING SPSS IN RESEARCH 83
Real-World Data 83
Coverage of Statistical Procedures 84
SPSS Basics 84
General Features 85
Using SPSS with General Social Survey Data 87