Real World Research: A Resource for Social Scientists and Practitioner-Researchers (Regional Surveys of the World)

• Includes new examples from applied psychology, applied social science, health studies, social work and education.
  
• Provides more coverage of qualitative methods.
  
• Pedagogical material has been updated to include a glossary and detailed cross-referencing across chapters.
  
• Bases the quantitative analysis section around version 10 of SPSS and the section on qualitative analysis around the NUD*IST software.
  
• Situates material more clearly within theoretical conceptualizations of the nature of social science research, pointing to the advantages of a critical realist approach.

For sample chapters please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/robson

Book Description
This successful text furnishes students with the skills necessary to conduct research outside the laboratory, in real world situations. For the second edition, the text has been thoroughly revised in order to bring it right up to date, and to make it as useful as possible for teachers and students from a range of behavioral and social science disciplines. Changes for the new edition include: Examples and references have been updated, and new examples have been drawn in from the fields of applied psychology, applied social science, health studies, social work and education. Greater emphasis has been placed on flexible designs using largely qualitative methods, including additional coverage of ethnographic and grounded theory approaches. Critical discussion is included of the place of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and statistical significance testing in fixed, quantitative design research The quantitative analysis section is now based around the current version of SPSS, while the section on qualitative analysis is now based around the NUD*IST software. Material has been added on combining quantitative and qualitative approaches. The author has situated the material more clearly within theoretical conceptualizations of the nature of social science research, pointing to the advantages of a critical realist approach. The text now incorporates more on tests and test theory. Improvements to the pedagogical material include the addition of a glossary and detailed cross-referencing across chapters. For sample chapters please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/robson

Real World Research will suit people from a variety of disciplines including health, education and the social sciences who are looking for a book to guide them through the research process. Well written and easy to read, it is also comprehensive enough to suit the 'dabbler' who wants to learn about a particular methodology but doesn't want commit themselves to an entire book on the one approach.