6th Edition

Proposing Empirical Research A Guide to the Fundamentals

By Mildred L. Patten, Melisa C. Galvan Copyright 2020
    216 Pages 3 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    216 Pages 3 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    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

    Biography

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