Sociology

Doing Your Undergraduate Project is a practical step-by-step guide to managing and developing a successful undergraduate project. The book covers all aspects of project management, explaining in a clear and structured way how to undertake a project and helping readers to identify and acquire the necessary skills to plan and carry out the research and writing. This practical and concise book provides: Advice for preparing a project and choosing a topic Guidelines for writing a project proposal A checklist for planning A guide to producing a literature review Advice on choosing and implementing appropriate methodology An awareness of ethical issues Information for writing-up the report. Written in a lively and engaging manner, this detailed and accessible manual is an invaluable resource for students across the social sciences working on their undergraduate project. SAGE Study Skills are essential study guides for students of all levels. From how to write great essays and succeeding at university, to writing your undergraduate dissertation and doing postgraduate research, SAGE Study Skills help you get the best from your time at university. Visit the SAGE Study Skills hub for tips, resources and videos on study success!

Statistics for Criminal Justice and Criminology in Practice and Research is an engaging and comprehensive introduction to the study of basic statistics for students pursuing careers as practitioners or researchers in both Criminal Justice and Criminology programs. This student-friendly text shows how to calculate a variety of descriptive and inferential statistics, recognize which statistics are appropriate for particular data analysis situations, and perform hypothesis tests using inferential statistics.But it is much more than a "cook book." It encourages readers to think critically about the strengths and limitations of the statistics they are calculating, as well as how they may be misapplied and misleading. Examples of statistics and statistical analyses are drawn from the worlds of the practitioner as well as the policymaker and researcher. Students will also gain a clear understanding of major ethical issues in conducting statistical analyses and reporting results, as well as insight into the realities of the life of researchers and practitioners as they use statistics and statistical analyses in their day-to-day activities.

Qualitative research is designed to explore the human elements of a given topic, while specific qualitative methods examine how individuals see and experience the world. Qualitative approaches are typically used to explore new phenomena and to capture individuals' thoughts, feelings, or interpretations of meaning and process. Such methods are central to research conducted in education, nursing, sociology, anthropology, information studies, and other disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, and health sciences. Qualitative research projects are informed by a wide range of methodologies and theoretical frameworks. The SAGE Encyclopedia of Qualitative Research Methods presents current and complete information as well as ready-to-use techniques, facts, and examples from the field of qualitative research in a very accessible style. In taking an interdisciplinary approach, these two volumes target a broad audience and fill a gap in the existing reference literature for a general guide to the core concepts that inform qualitative research practices. The entries cover every major facet of qualitative methods, including access to research participants, data coding, research ethics, the role of theory in qualitative research, and much more-all without overwhelming the informed reader. Key Features Defines and explains core concepts, describes the techniques involved in the implementation of qualitative methods, and presents an overview of qualitative approaches to research Offers many entries that point to substantive debates among qualitative researchers regarding how concepts are labeled and the implications of such labels for how qualitative research is valued Guides readers through the complex landscape of the language of qualitative inquiry Includes contributors from various countries and disciplines that reflect a diverse spectrum of research approaches from more traditional

Research design can be daunting for all types of researchers. At its heart it might be described as a formalized approach toward problem solving, thinking, and acquiring knowledge--the success of which depends upon clearly defined objectives and appropriate choice of statistical tools, tests, and analysis to meet a project's objectives.Comprising more than 500 entries, the Encyclopedia of Research Design elucidates how to make decisions about research design, undertake research projects in an ethical manner, interpret and draw valid inferences from data, and evaluate experiment design strategies and results. Two additional features carry this encyclopedia far above other works in the field: bibliographic entries devoted to significant articles in the history of research design and reviews of contemporary tools, such as software and statistical procedures, used to analyze results.The Encyclopedia of Research Design is the perfect instrument for new learners as well as experienced researchers to explore both the original and newest branches of the field.