Leonard Bickman - Handbook of Applied Social Research Methods

Cover

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HANDBOOK of
APPLIED
SOCIAL
RESEARCH
METHODS

Leonard Bickman
Debra J. Rog
Editors

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Copyright 1998 by Sage Publications, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

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Printed in the United States of America

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Main entry under title:
Handbook of applied social research methods / edited by Leonard
Bickman and Debra J. Rog.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-7619-0672-X (cloth: acid-free paper).
1. Social sciencesResearchMethodology. 2. Social sciences
Methodology. I. Bickman, Leonard, 1941 . II. Rog, Debra J.
H62.H24534 1997
300'.7'2dc21 97-4858

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

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Leonard Bickman
Debra J. Rog

A handbook is typically compiled to provide a comprehensive representation of the work in a particular area. It is intended to summarize and synthesize major topics and issues. Designed with a broad perspective, a handbook directs the reader to additional resources for more in-depth treatment of any one topic or issue. Thus a handbook serves as a "handy" reference guide, covering key yet often diverse themes and developments in a given area.

Applied social research methods span several substantive arenas, and the boundaries of application are not well defined. The methods can be applied in educational settings, environmental settings, health settings, business settings, and so forth. In addition, researchers conducting applied social research come from several disciplinary backgrounds and orientations, including sociology, psychology, business, political science, education, geography, and social work, to name a few. Consequently, a range of research philosophies, designs, data collection methods, analysis techniques, and reporting methods can be considered to be "applied social research." Applied research, because it consists of a diverse set of research strategies, is difficult to define precisely and inclusively. It is probably most easily defined by what it is