Proposing Empirical Research (6^th Ed.) A Guide to the Fundamentals

Proposing Empirical Research: A Guide to the Fundamentals provides step-by-step instructions for students who will be writing their first research proposal in the social and behavioral sciences and using both quantitative and qualitative methods.

The structure of the book enables students to work independently with confidence while writing the first drafts of their proposals. Each major section is divided into short topics and for each topic, students are asked to complete an exercise that leads them toward the goal of preparing a proposal. Numerous illustrative examples throughout the book make the recommendations for proposal writing come alive. In addition, the 10 model proposals provided at the end of the book illustrate proposal writing and provide material for classroom discussions.

New to the Sixth Edition:

• Updates throughout to reflect research and learning in the digital/online environment, e.g., online surveys, digital organization tools, digital recruitment methods for research, and digital databases, records, and archives.
• Discussion of qualitative methods.
• Updated references, model proposals, end of chapter exercises etc.

Proposing Empirical Research is ideal for use in research methods classes where students write a proposal as a term project, thesis/dissertation preparation classes, senior research seminars where proposing and conducting research is a culminating undergraduate activity, and any graduate-level seminar in which the instructor wants to incorporate a project that will engage students in critical thinking about the content area.

Introduction to the Sixth Edition

Part A: Getting Started

Topic 1. What Is Empirical Research?

Topic 2. Identifying Broad Problem Areas

Topic 3. Evaluating Broad Problem Areas

Topic 4. Identifying and Combining Variables

Topic 5. Identifying Treatment Variables

Topic 6. Considering Demographic Variables

Topic 7. Writing Purposes and Hypotheses

Part B: A Closer Look at Problem Selection

Topic 8. Finding Ideas in the Literature

Topic 9. Considering a Body of Literature

Topic 10. Considering Theories and Frameworks

Topic 11. Determining Feasibility

Part C: Selecting a Research Approach

Topic 12. Qualitative Research

Topic 13. Survey Research

Topic 14. Correlational Research

Topic 15. Test Development Research

Topic 16. Experimental Research

Topic 17. Causal-Comparative Research

Topic 18. Program Evaluation

Part D: Organizing and Evaluating Literature

Topic 19. Organizing Literature by Topics

Topic 20. Evaluating Research Literature

Topic 21. Considering the History of a Topic

Part E: Application and Writing

Topic 22. A Separate Introduction

Topic 23. An Integrated Introduction and Literature Review

Topic 24. Writing the First Paragraph(s)

Topic 25. Using a Topic Outline

Topic 26. Being Selective and Critical

Part F: Proposing a Sample

Topic 27. Sampling in Qualitative Research

Topic 28. Random Sampling

Topic 29. Other Methods of Sampling: I

Topic 30. Other Methods of Sampling: II

Topic 31. Sample Size

Part G: Proposing Instrumentation

Topic 32. Qualitative Instrumentation

Topic 33. Proposing Published Instruments

Topic 34. Proposing New Instruments

Topic 35. Proposing to Measure Demographics

Topic 36. Ethical Issues in Measurement Methods

Part H: Proposing Procedures

Topic 37. Nonexperimental Procedures

Topic 38. Procedures in Experiments

Topic 39. Ethical Issues and Procedures

Part I: Proposing Methods of Analysis

Topic 40. Qualitative Analysis

Topic 41. Analysis of Demographics

Topic 42. Relationships: Nominal

Topic 43. Relationships: Equal Interval

Topic 44. Group Differences

Part J: Writing the Discussion and Other Concluding Tasks

Topic 45. Writing a Discussion Section

Topic 46. Giving the Proposal a Title

Topic 47. Preparing an Abstract

Topic 48. Developing a Timeline

Topic 49. Preparing a Reference List

Part K: Model Research Proposals for Discussion

Model Proposal 1: A Survey

Model Proposal 2: A Survey

Model Proposal 3: Test Development Research

Model Proposal 4: Single-Subject Research

Model Proposal 5: Quasi-Experimental Research

Model Proposal 6: True Experiment

Model Proposal 7: Qualitative Research with Focus Groups

Model Proposal 8: Qualitative Research with Interviews

Model Proposal 9: Combined Qualitative and Quantitative Research

Model Proposal 10: Ethnographic Study

Appendix A: Locating Literature Electronically

Appendix B: Electronic Sources of Statistical Information

Melisa C. Galvan is Assistant Professor at California State University, Northridge.