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(NOTE: All chapters include Key Terms for Review, For Further Reading, and Exercises sections).

1. Sociology: Its Uses and Applications.

Understanding Social Behavior: A Challenging Task.

Studying People Systematically: The Scientific Approach.

Critical Thinking: Separating Values and Opinions from Facts.

2. The Elements of Science and Research.

The Goals of Social Science Research.

The Building Blocks.

Quantification and Measurement.

How to Observe?

The Problem of Sampling.

Critical Thinking: Clarity and Precision.

3. Analyzing Relationships Between Variables.

Searching for Causes.

Types of Relationships Between Variables.

Analysis of Contingency Tables.

Correlation and Regression.

Path Analysis.

Critical Thinking: Assessing the Data Presented.

4. Experiments in Applied Research.

The Classical Experiment.

Validity in Experiments.

Other Experimental Designs.

Field Experiments.

Critical Thinking: Is It a True Experimental Design?

5. Strategies for Gathering Data.

Survey Research.

Qualitative Research.

Nonreactive Research.

Critical Thinking: Is the Data Collection Strategy Appropriate?

6. Applied Research Techniques.

Types of Applied Research.

Critical Thinking: Is There Systematic Evaluation?

7. Ethics, Objectivity, and Social Policy.

The Uses of Applied Research.

The Power Structure and Applied Research.

Ethical Obligations in Conducting Applied Research.

Codes of Ethics.

Critical Thinking: The Integrity of the Scientific Method.

Appendixes.

Journals.

Organizations.

Graduate Education in Applied Sociology.

Index.