Introduction to research methods
Robert B. Burns
- 4th ed.
- Frenchs Forest : Pearson Education, c2000.
- ix, 613 p. : ill. ; 25 cm.
Includes index.
Pt. 1. General Orientation. 1. Contrasting perspectives. 2. Ethics of research. 3. Selecting a research topic and reviewing the literature Pt. 2. Quantitative Methods. 4. Descriptive statistics. 5. Normal distribution and statistical significance. 6. Sampling and standard error of the mean. 7. Hypothesis formation and testing. 8. Levels of measurement. 9. Variables. 10. Research design and the control of error. 11. Choosing statistical tests. 12. Power and effect size. 13. Testing hypotheses of difference I: Independent groups design. 14. Testing hypotheses of difference II: Paired groups design. 15. Testing hypotheses of relationship I: Chi square. 16. Testing hypotheses of relationship II: Correlation. 17. Other correlation techniques. 18. Predication and simple linear regression. 19. Analysis of variance (ANOVA). 20. Reliability and validity. 21. Meta-analysis. 22. The experimental research report Pt. 3. Qualitative Methods. 23. Ethnographic research. 24. Unstructured interviewing. 25. Action-research. 26. Case studies. 27. Historical research. 28. The qualitative research report Pt. 4. Survey Methods. 29. Attitude surveys. 30. Structured interview and questionnaire surveys.
The book provides a basic understanding of the main techniques and concepts of quantitative and qualitative research using simple examples and practice exercises. It includes information on ethics of research and guidelines for writing up research reports.