Understanding Research Methods: An Overview of the Essentials

by Mildred L. Patten

A perennial bestseller since 1997, this updated tenth edition of Understanding Research Methods provides a detailed overview of all the important concepts traditionally covered in a research methods class. It covers the principles of both qualitative and quantitative research, and how to interpret statistics without computations, so is suitable for all students regardless of their math background. The book is organized so that each concept is treated independently and can be used in any order without resulting in gaps in knowledge―allowing it to be easily and precisely adapted to any course. It uses lively examples on contemporary topics to stimulate students’ interest, and engages them by showing the relevance of research methods to their everyday lives. Numerous case studies and end-of-section exercises help students master the material and encourage classroom discussion. The text is divided into short, independent topic sections, making it easy for you to adapt the material to your own teaching needs and customize assignments to the aspect of qualitative or quantitative methods under study―helping to improve students’ comprehension and retention of difficult concepts. Additional online PowerPoint slides and test bank questions make this a complete resource for introducing students to research methods. New to this

Genres: Nonfiction, Education, Reference, Research, Science, Research Methods, Textbooks

338 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1996

Reviews

[Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear, concise, and SHORT CHAPTERS! The ideal textbook.

[Alynda Worrell-Welch · Rating 4 out of 5]

not exactly a thrilling topic, but very readable. so thank you for that, mildred

[Emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

Had to read it for a class...that usually dooms a book from the start! It was a good approach to scientific research and the methodology involved, would recommend for anyone interested in research.

[Erica Marcus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well laid out in simple chapters with lots of text features to clue the reader to the important parts. I am glad this class is over, however.

[Michelle Boyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an assigned book in my Library Sciences research methodologies course. While this isn't necessarily 100% tailored to Library Sciences, it still did a great job of offering information about research, methodological approaches, and really helped everyone grasp big concepts. Definitely would recommend it for those interested in learning more about the research process and its methodologies.

[Lergia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a terrible research methods textbook, but for someone with no background knowledge, a lot of times it didn’t have enough information to understand the concepts fully, and I found myself searching for other open source textbooks for additional information.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the format of this book as it made it easier for me to understand the concepts by reinforcing ideas with the exercises after each topic. I also appreciated that the topics were short, usually no longer than a page. My biggest complaint about this book is that it doesn't contain a section for the answers. There were times that I wasn't sure about a topic & my corresponding answer and I wished that I knew that I fully understood the topic. If answers were provided, I would be apt to give this book at least 4 stars.

[Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a great aid in learning the methods for conducting research in both quantitative and qualitative methodology. It also explains the math needed to create the number that the readers will understand. Very helpful resource.

[Ellen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mandatory reading for a college class. A lot of information in a short time.... I was not thrilled when the authors themselves wrote "too complicated to be written in detail in this book." So why add that specific item?

[Mirra · Rating 1 out of 5]

The horrid book I had to read for my Research Methods class. It was...horrible. But I read it. The end.

[Steph · Rating 2 out of 5]

My 506 course was long.

[Aaaa]

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