Essentials of Research Methods

Essentials of Research Methods: A guide to social science research. (2005). Janet M. Ruane. Malden MA: Blackwell. 239 pp., Price $ 29.95 (paperback). ISBN 0-6312-3049-1.

There are many books on research methodology. My preference include this book which gives an excellent introduction to those unfamiliar with research in social sciences including media and communication studies.

First chapter explains the need for systematic research that discovers both new knowledge and avoids faulty logic. Second chapter, "Ethics: It's the Right Thing to Do," emphasizes the importance of researchers' conduct: researchers working with human participants must do no harm, must obtain informed consent and must respect participants' privacy.

The next five chapters deal with the topics of measurement and research design.. The chapters on measurement cover concepts of validity and reliability, and the chapters on design cover causal analysis, research strategies and sampling. The chapter on sampling covers the techniques used to conduct research-and assessment. Two chapters are devoted to statistics: descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. As the title suggests, the book describes the essentials of research methods.