Social research and statistics Books

Book SynopsisDescriptive Statistics.- Introduction to descriptive statistics.- How to Count.- Elements of Probability.- Some Probability Distributions.- Statistical Inference for Two Proportions.- Comparing Multiple Proportions.- Comparing Means.- Combining Evidence Across Independent Strata.- Sampling Issues.- Epidemiology.- Survival Analysis.- Nonparametric Methods.- Regression Models.- More Complex Regression Models.- Appendix I: Calculations and Comments on the Cases.- Appendix II: Tables.- Glossary of Symbols.- List of Cases.- Bibliography.- Subject Index.

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Book SynopsisAlan France is Professor of Sociology in Te Pokapu Putaiao Papori (School of Social Sciences) at the University of Auckland, Aotearoa, New Zealand.Julia Coffey is Senior Lecturer in Sociology, School of Humanities and Social Science at the University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia.Steven Roberts is Associate Professor of Sociology in the School of Social Sciences, Monash University.Catherine Waite is a Research Fellow in the Faculty of Education, Monash University.Trade ReviewThis is an important new book for all those interested in understanding the lives of young people and the changing social situation of youth. Written by expert scholars, and with a global perspective, the book provides an authoritative, wide-ranging, carefully-curated and accessible introduction to youth sociology. It will be of enormous value to researchers, teachers and students. * Robert MacDonald, University of Huddersfield, UK *This highly accessible volume is a comprehensive tour of sociological perspectives on youth. It is an invaluable resource for lecturers of youth related courses. The book not only provides informative reading for students of sociology and applied social sciences, but also suggests new ways to think. * Sanna Aaltonen, University of Eastern Finland *This is a text that is informed by, and wants to develop in its readers, a sociological imagination about the challenges and opportunities that structure young people’s experiences in the early 21st century. The authors present a wide-ranging, historical overview of the key characteristics of the debates about young people, their interests, cultures, behaviours, engagements with education and work, fashion, culture and well-being, and provoke their readers to think critically, sociologically, about these youth issues. * Peter Kelly, RMIT University, Australia *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. What is Youth? 2. Dimensions of Difference 3. Education and Imagined Futures 4. Work and Transitions 5. Youth Cultures and Subcultures 6. Social Media and Digital Lives 7. Space, Place and Geographical Mobility 8. Risk and Risk-Taking 9. Crime, Victimisation and Justice 10. Health and Wellbeing 11. Youth Citizenship and Belonging in a Globalised World Future Directions.

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Book SynopsisFirst published Open Access under a Creative Commons license as What is Inclusive Research?, this title is now also available as part of the Bloomsbury Research Methods series.This book describes and defines inclusive research, outlining how to recognize it, understand it, do it, and know when it is done well. In doing so it addresses the areas of overlap and distinctiveness in relation to participatory, emancipatory, user-led and partnership research as well as exploring the various practices encompassed within each of these inclusive approaches. The author, Melanie Nind, focuses on how and why more inclusive approaches to research have evolved. She positions inclusive research within the key debates and shifts in policy, defines key ideas and terms, discusses the contested nature of inclusive research and illustrates a range of approaches using exemplars. The aim is to discuss the range of challenges involved and to examine the degree to which these challengTrade ReviewExcellent guide to this developing area of research. Essential for students undertaking this kind of study. * David Preece, University of Northampton, UK *Table of ContentsSeries Editor Foreword 1. Inclusive Research Defined 2. Inclusive Research as an Evolving Set of Practices 3. Stories from the Field 4. Criticisms and Defenses 5. Summary and Where Next Further Reading References Index

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Book SynopsisFirst published Open Access under a Creative Commons license as What is Quantitative Longitudinal Data Analysis?, this title is now also available as part of the Bloomsbury Research Methods series.Across the social sciences, there is widespread agreement that quantitative longitudinal research designs offer analysts powerful scientific data resources. But, to date, many texts on analysing longitudinal social analysis surveys have been written from a statistical, rather than a social science data analysis perspective and they lack adequate coverage of common practical challenges associated with social science data analyses. This book provides a practical and up-to-date introduction to influential approaches to quantitative longitudinal data analysis in the social sciences. The book introduces definitions and terms, explains the relative attractions of such a longitudinal design, and offers an introduction to the main techniques of analysis, explaining their reqTrade ReviewAn impressive text for anyone wishing to understand the value of longitudinal data for social science research questions and the analytical techniques and practical approaches required to make effective use of such data. The clear enthusiasm and expertise of the authors for the subject shines through the text, helping the reader navigate the complexities of different kinds of longitudinal data, possible research questions and techniques with ease. It is really clearly written in a very engaging manner with examples and code making it suitable for students and researchers new to longitudinal research as well more experienced analysts. * Michaela Benzeval, Professor of Longitudinal Research, University of Essex, UK, and Director of Understanding Society: The UK Household Longitudinal Study, UK *Just as the authors intended, reading this book whetted my appetite for the rich portfolio of quantitative longitudinal data available in the UK ... Strong referencing and bibliography enable the reader to look further into influential approaches. * Research Matters *Table of ContentsSeries Editor Foreword 1. Introduction 2. Getting Started 3. Temporal Analysis with Cross-Sectional Data 4. Analysis of Data on Durations 5. Analysis of Repeated Contacts Data 6. Conclusion Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisFirst published Open Access under a Creative Commons license as What is Rhythmanalysis?, this title is now also available as part of the Bloomsbury Research Methods series.In recent years, there has been growing interest in Henri Lefebvre's posthumously published volume, Rhythmanalysis. For Lefebvre and subsequent scholars, rhythmanalysis is a research strategy which offers a means of thinking space and time together in the study of everyday life, and this remains its strength and appeal. This book addresses the task of how to do rhythmanalysis. It discusses the history and development of rhythmanalysis from Lefebvre to the present day in a range of fields including cultural history and studies of place, work and nature. For Lefebvre, it is necessary to be grasped by' a rhythm at a bodily level in order to grasp it. And yet we also need critical distance to fully understand it. Rhythmanalysis is therefore both corporeal and conceptual. This book Trade ReviewIt is hard to imagine a more engaging, yet succinct introduction to Henri Lefebvre’s rhythmanalysis. Surveying the most relevant cross-disciplinary work while continually demonstrating how rhythmanalysis is a practicable method, this book is illuminating and generative in equal measure. * Gregory J. Seigworth, Professor of Communication Studies, Millersville University, USA *Starting with Lefebvre's thought and tracing its evolution through the current times across the social sciences, Lyon's book presents rhythmanalysis as a family of concepts, a research strategy and a set of field practices intended to sensitize students and scholars to undertake empirical research with attention to the flows of rhythm. The book demystifies the often-misunderstood but ever so popular concept through clear and practical terms and examples, showing us how to better understand social life through the perspective of rhythm and the role of time in the production, imagination, experience, and representation of multiple social realities. * Phillip Vannini, Professor and Canada Research Chair, Royal Roads University, Canada *Dawn Lyon's invitation to consider the methodological benefits of adopting rhythmanalysis as a research tool is a no-nonsense, bracing account that generously treats readers to a wealth of empirical examples and theoretical ideas. Rescuing Lefebvre's contentions from the realm of arcane scholarly debate, Lyon provides a wide-ranging, lucid and convivial exploration that grounds rhythmic experience in everyday living while simultaneously extending ways in which rhythm may be conceptualised. * Tim Edensor, Reader in Cultural Geography, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK *A timely contribution. While rhythmanalysis to date has not been a well-defined methodology, or at least can as much reveal the idiosyncrasies of the researcher, her book offers a clear and thoughtful attempt to characterize what rhythmanalysis might actually look like for a wide range of researchers. * Sunil Manghani, Professor of Theory, Practice and Critique, University of Southampton, UK *Table of ContentsSeries Editor Foreword 1. Introduction to Rhythmanalysis 2. A Brief History of Rhythmanalysis 3. The Application of Rhythmanalysis 4. Gains and Limitations of Rhythmanalysis 5. Future Directions in Rhythmanalysis 6. Summary Annotated Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisAn appealing introduction to social research for students who need to understand methodologies and results, but who may never conduct the research themselves.Table of ContentsAbout the Authors Preface Acknowledgments CHAPTER ONE: Science, Society, and Social Research What Is the Problem? Can Social Scientists See the Social World More Clearly? How Well Have We Done Our Research? Conclusion KEY TERMS HIGHLIGHTS EXERCISES CHAPTER TWO: The Process and Problems of Social Research What Is the Question? What Is the Theory? What Is the Strategy? What Is the Design? But Is It Ethical? Conclusion KEY TERMS HIGHLIGHTS EXERCISES CHAPTER THREE: Ethics in Research Historical Background Ethical Principles Conclusions KEY TERMS HIGHLIGHTS EXERCISES CHAPTER FOUR: Conceptualization and Measurement What Do We Have in Mind? How Will We Know When We've Found It? How Much Information Do We Really Have? Did We Measure What We Wanted To Measure? Conclusion KEY TERMS HIGHLIGHTS EXERCISES CHAPTER FIVE: Sampling How Do We Prepare to Sample? What Sampling Method Should We Use? Conclusion KEY TERMS HIGHLIGHTS EXERCISES CHAPTER SIX: Causation and Experimental Design Causal Explanation What Causes What? Why Experiment? What If a True Experiment Isn?t Possible? What Are the Threats to Validity in Experiments? How Do Experimenters Protect Their Subjects? Conclusion KEY TERMS HIGHLIGHTS EXERCISES CHAPTER SEVEN: Survey Research Why Is Survey Research So Popular? How Should We Write Survey Questions? How Should Questionnaires Be Designed? What Are the Alternatives for Administering Surveys? A Comparison of Survey Designs Ethical Issues in Survey Research Conclusion KEY TERMS HIGHLIGHTS EXERCISES CHAPTER EIGHT: Elementary Quantitative Data Analysis Why Do Statistics? How to Prepare Data for Analysis What Are the Options for Displaying Distributions? What Are the Options for Summarizing Distributions? How Can We Tell Whether Two Variables Are Related? Analyzing Data Ethically: How Not to Lie with Statistics Conclusion KEY TERMS HIGHLIGHTS EXERCISES CHAPTER NINE: Qualitative Methods: Observing, Participating, Listening What Are "Qualitative" Methods? How Does Participant Observation Become a Research Method? How Do You Conduct Intensive Interviews? How Do You Run Focus Groups? Analyzing Qualitative Data Ethical Issues in Qualitative Research Conclusion KEY TERMS HIGHLIGHTS EXERCISES CHAPTER TEN: Qualitative Data Analysis What Is Distinctive About Qualitative Data Analysis? What Techniques Do Qualitative Data Analysts Use? What Are Some Alternatives in Qualitative Data Analysis? Visual Sociology How Can Computers Assist Qualitative Data Analysis? What Ethical Issues Arise in Qualitative Data Analysis? Conclusions KEY TERMS HIGHLIGHTS EXERCISES CHAPTER ELEVEN: Evaluation Research What Is the History of Evaluation Research? What Is Evaluation Research? What Are the Alternatives in Evaluation Designs? What Can an Evaluation Study Focus On? Ethical Issues in Evaluation Research Conclusion KEY TERMS HIGHLIGHTS EXERCISES CHAPTER TWELVE: Reviewing, Proposing, and Reporting Research Comparing Research Designs Reviewing Research Proposing New Research Reporting Research Conclusion HIGHLIGHTS EXERCISES Appendix A: Finding Information Appendix B: Secondary Data Sources References Glossary/Index

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