Social Research Methods

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Experiments, surveys, participant observation and interviewing - and more particular problems such as measurement, levels of analysis and the relevance of epistemological issues - are thoroughly discussed. The importance of evidence to inform decisions on social phenomena has never been greater; or more widely accepted. It provides a fresh perspective, uses accessible language, and employs logic to explain complex concepts to students. Dr Liam Foster is a Senior Lecturer in Social Policy and Social Work at the University of Sheffield, UK, who specializes in pensions and theories of ageing.

This includes formulating questions, choosing methods, recruiting participants, analyzing the data, and writing up the results.

The thoroughly updated sixth edition offers unrivalled coverage of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods with renewed focus and a fresh, modern feel.

A key lesson from recent advances in behavioural economics is that the responses of individuals to both policy incentives and uncertainty may differ from the predictions of classical rational optimising behaviour. Our donations to The Rainbow Centre have helped provide an education and a safe haven to hundreds of children who live in appalling conditions. Dr Luke Sloan is a Reader, Deputy Director of the Social Data Science Lab, and Co-Director of Cardiff Q-Step at the School of Social Sciences at Cardiff University, UK.We’re here to give you support when you need us, care about the things you care about, and fight for you when need someone in your corner. It sets itself apart from other social science textbooks by paying less attention to experiments and more to survey and in-depth interview skills. Dr Tom Clark, Dr Liam Foster, and Dr Luke Sloan bring specialist expertise and have worked closely with students and lecturers to build on Alan Bryman's impressive legacy.