sharpens students understanding of the research process and the essential research methods and tools that researchers use to perform their work on the cutting edge of the social sciences. The text is broken up into three major sections; the first provides a foundation for conducting research and forming a research question, executing an ethical approach, and drawing upon relevant theories and literature. The second provides a fully illustrated overview of different research methods including qualitative and quantitative design, constructing and administering surveys, and carrying out experiments. The authors conclude the text by considering notable current controversies and methodological changes that are impacting the discipline. The new edition offers expanded content on key statistical packages for conducting social research and takes readers behind-the-scenes of writing and presenting a research paper with annotated examples and step-by-step guidance. Far more than an introduction to the principles of social science research, this book leaves students with the skills and the applied know-how to carry out their own. It is an excellent resource for methods courses across the social sciences.