Synopses & Reviews
A concise introduction to the fundamental concepts of social scientific thinking and research, this classic text makes scientific thinking, research methods and statistics accessible to undergraduates at a common sense level. This text is intended for use in a broad array of introductory social sciences courses as well as the Research Methods course taught in Political Science, Sociology and Psychology.
Review
"This is an exceptionally well-written book. In a field that normally has books that are poorly written and often inaccessible to undergraduates, the Hoover and Donovan book is really a breath of fresh air."
Review
"This is the best simple and short overview of the key elements in the scientific research process on the market."
Review
"What Strunk and White's little book on style is to clear writing, Hoover's is to clear thinking in the social sciences. A pedagogical gem."
Review
"I have found ELEMENTS useful in several ways. First, it is useful to students with no background in science at all. ... Second, it is useful for students who are in "scientific" disciplines. Some of the biologists or chemists have never been introduced to social science as a method... All in all, the book gives us common ground for understanding science, social science in particular, so we can discuss its relationship to technology and the rest of society."
Synopsis
A concise introduction to the fundamental concepts of social scientific thinking, this classic text--a favorite with students for over 30 years--makes scientific thinking, research methods and statistics accessible to undergraduates at a common sense level.
About the Author
Kenneth Hoover is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Western Washington University. Recent books include THE FUTURE OF IDENTITY (2004), ECONOMICS AS IDEOLOGY ( 2003), and IDEOLOGY AND POLITICAL LIFE, 3rd Edition (2001) (with John Miles, Vernon Johnson, and Sara Weir.Todd Donovan (Ph.D., University of California, Riverside) is a professor of political science at Western Washington University. He teaches state and local politics; American politics, parties, campaigns, and elections; comparative electoral systems; and introductory research methods and statistics. His research interests include direct democracy, election systems and representation, political behavior, subnational politics, and the political economy of local development. He has published extensively in academic journals; written a number of books on direct democracy, elections, institutions, and reform; and has received numerous grants and awards for his work. He is coauthor (with Christopher Z. Mooney and Daniel A. Smith) of STATE AND LOCAL POLITICS: INSTITUTIONS AND REFORM (?2009) and coauthor (with Ken Hoover) of THE ELEMENTS OF SOCIAL SCIENTIFIC THINKING, also published by Cengage Learning.
Table of Contents
Preface. 1. Thinking Scientifically. 2. The Elements of Science. 3. Strategies. 4. Refinements. 5. Measuring Variables and Relationships. 6. Reflections: Back to the Roots. Appendix A. "Tuning In, Tuning Out: The Strange Disappearance of Social Capital in America" Appendix B. "Trust in Government: The United States in Comparative Perspective" Index.