Scientific social surveys and research [antikvár]

The present fourth edition of Sci-entific Social Surveys and Research begins its twenty-seventh year of ex-istence in the United States and abroad —a situation often disconcerting to an author. Originally this volume was de-signed to serve the needs of Americans beginning research undertakings. Aware of its wide use in foreign coun-tries and its appearance in translation, the author began to contact teachers abroad who knew the volume inti-mately. These offered valuable generál criticism as to ' universals" in scientific procedure, as opposed to needs of par-ticular groups. Such suggestions have been considered in the revision and re-writing of the text. This text assumes that a beginner's understanding of the basic research procedures which he is to follow—the ways in which he is to use scientific tools and concepts and the theoretical considerations with which he is to approach his research undertakings— can be greatly enhanced by the fre-quent use of selective illustrative data drawn from varied empirical research studies. Much attention was devoted to this problem. Chapter 1, "General Overview of a Research Project in Process,"1 new to the present edition, is one of many illustrations provided to enable the beginner to form a suitable picture of the nature of social research and to perceive the many diverse aspects of the research process. It was found that students can involve themselves with greater interest and less of a "research, preface to fourth edition