Earl R. Babbie

Adventures in Social Research: Data Analysis Using SPSS

PART ONE: PREPARING FOR SOCIAL RESEARCH Introduction Theory and Research The Logic of Measurement PART TWO: GETTING STARTED Description of Your Data Sets Using SPSS PART THREE: UNIVARIATE ANALYSIS Describing Your Data Religiosity Presenting Your Data in Graphic Form Political Orientations Crosstabulating Abortion Responses Moving from Univariate to Bivariate Analysis Creating Composite Measures Exploring Attitudes toward Abortion in More Depth Suggestions for Further Univariate Analysis PART FOUR: BIVARIATE ANALYSIS Examining the Sources of Religiosity Political Orientations as Cause and as Effect What Causes Different Attitudes toward Abortion? Measures of Asssociation Tests of Significance Suggestions for Further Bivariate Analysis PART FIVE: MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS Multiple Causation Examining Religiosity in Greater Depth Dissecting the Political Factor A Powerful Prediction of Attitudes toward Abortion Suggestions for Further Multivariate Analysis PART SIX: THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES Designing and Executing Your Own Survey Further Opportunities for Social Research

Laud Humphreys and research ethics

Laud Humphreys’ Tea Room Trade has been a regular topic in discussions of social research ethics for thirty years. This article reviews some of the past criticisms and offers a current assessment of Humphreys’ research ethics.

The Essential Wisdom of Sociology.

Although the introductory sociology course typically conveys some information about society (primarily American society), I think most sociology instructors would agree that it is more important for students to grasp some fundamental sociological concepts: role, interaction, structure, conflict, socialization, and so on. I am not so naive, however, as to imagine that we would ever agree on precisely what the most important concepts are. In my own teaching and writing, I have found it even more important to ground students in some basic principles or metaconcepts that distinguish the sociological view of things and that make sense of the concepts we weave together in the sociological construction of society. Below I will identify and describe briefly ten basic principles, not in the hope of reaching agreement with my colleagues, but with the idea that our disagreement might be productive.

We am a virtual community

ConclusionIn summary, we are present at the birth of something special. Sociologists have an opportunity to observe the self-creation of electronic, virtual communities. While the development of conventional communities occurred over a time period so vast that we are denied records of their origins, the pace of evolution among today’s virtual communities is so fast as to make “keeping up” almost impossible. Fortunately, it is occurring in a medium that supports easy documentation—witness the ease with which I could report on netiquette by copying materials directly off the net.I find it difficult to terminate an article on the Internet since the phenomenon is still unfolding as I type this sentence. My own experience of the net is far different now than it was when I began this article just a few weeks ago. It will be radically different by the time you read this.Anyone who feels the future evolution of the Internet is fairly predictable should meditate on the fact that it’s chief supporters in government appear to be Al Gore and Newt Gingrich, an electronic odd couple.

The sociological spirit : critical essays in a critical science

An idea whose time has come. Identity. Groups. Organizations. Institutions. Culture and society. Inequality. Freedom versus order. Social change. Global issues.

Sociology: An Idea Whose Time Has Come:

This is a revised version of the 2004 PSA Presidential Address. It examines the vital need for sociology in todays world and the ways in which sociology already overtly and covertly makes a difference and suggests ways to enhance the impact of sociology in the years ahead.

What Is Society? Reflections on Freedom, Order, and Change

Introducing an Unusual Entity Social Structure is Real Freedom and Society Structured for Survival What Exactly Survives? Society Run Amok Sociological Diagnostics Taking Charge

The Religious Factor: Looking Forward

Professor Gerhard Lenski, in the opening paragraphs of The Religious Factor,2 expressed the hope that his example might stimulate further empirical research on the consequences of religious involvement for contemporary society. In the widespread interest which the book created upon publication and the subsequent discourse and survey plans generated, the author may readily find assurance that his hope will be realized.

The Practice of Social Research.

Part I: AN INTRODUCTION TO INQUIRY. 1. Human Inquiry and Science. 2. Paradigms, Theory, and Social Research. 3. The Ethics and Politics of Social Research. Part II: THE STRUCTURING OF INQUIRY: QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE. 4. Research Design. 5. Conceptualization, Operationalization, and Measurement. 6. Indexes, Scales, and Typologies. 7. The Logic of Sampling. Part III: MODES OF OPERATION: QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE. 8. Experiments. 9. Survey Research. 10. Qualitative Field Research. 11. Unobtrusive Research. 12. Evaluation Research. Part IV: ANALYSIS OF DATA: QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE. 13. Qualitative Data Analysis. 14. Quantitative Data Analysis. 15. The Logic of Multivariate Analysis. 16. Statistical Analyses. 17. Reading and Writing Social Research. APPENDICES. A. Using the Library. B. GSS Household Enumeration Questionnaire. C. Random Numbers. D. Distribution of Chi Square. E. Normal Curve Areas. F. Estimated Sampling Error. Preface. Acknowledgments.