Social science research in New Zealand : many paths to understanding

This book introduces readers to the range of theories, approaches and techniques required to understand New Zealand. Part one looks at how cultures gather knowledge, introduces readers to science, social science, Maori approaches, cross-cultural and feminist research, and ethics. Part two explains how to do a literature review, design, collect, and analyze quantitative and qualitative data, and write up the results. In part three, a number of prominent New Zealand social scientists show how research really gets done by explaining the use of key techniques in their own research projects. "This book introduces readers to the range of theories, approaches and techniques that we will need to understand this country in the twenty-first century. Part one, 'the big picture', looks at how different cultures gather knowledge, introducing readers to science, social science, Māori approaches, cross-cultural and feminist research, and ethics. Part two, 'the basics of social science research', explains how to do a literature review, design a research project, collect and analyse quantitative and qualitative data, and write up the results. In part three, 'techniques of social research', a number of prominent New Zealand social scientists show how research really gets done by explaining the use of key techniques in their own research projects, from official statistics and longitudinal research to focus groups and ethnography. This is a book for New Zealand students and practitioners written by New Zealand social scientists, highlighting what is different about doing research in this country in the twenty-first century. The book is as much about qualitative approaches as quantitative ones and introduces readers to the practice of research through real cases, rather than just theory. The editors are fierce methodological pluralists, and they introduce the wide range of tools and approaches available to the modern researcher."--Publisher information "This book introduces readers to the range of theories, approaches and techniques that we will need to understand this country in the twenty-first century.Part one, 'the big picture', looks at how different cultures gather knowledge, introducing readers to science, social science, Maori approaches, cross-cultural and feminist research, and ethics. Part two, 'the basics of social science research', explains how to do a literature review, design a research project, collect and analyse quantitative and qualitative data, and write up the results. In part three, 'techniques of social research', a number of prominent New Zealand social scientists show how research really gets done by explaining the use of key techniques in their own research projects, from official statistics and longitudinal research to focus groups and ethnography.This is a book for New Zealand students and practitioners written by New Zealand social scientists, highlighting what is different about doing research in this country in the twenty-first century. The book is as much about qualitative approaches as quantitative ones and introduces readers to the practice of research through real cases, rather than just theory. The editors are fierce methodological pluralists, and they introduce the wide range of tools and approaches available to the modern researcher."--Provided by publisher "In this updated edition of their popular textbook, Carl Davidson and Martin Tolich present an integrated view of social science research: its underlying philosophy, goals, ethics and methods ... the range of contributors means that the book is multidisciplinary in nature and the New Zealand context examines the questions of who we are and how we can be studied. Practical guidance is given throughout the text and its appendices on matters such as questionnaire construction, levels of measurement, statistical data analysis and sampling error calculation. The question of ethics is raised and discussed at length, as is the use of computers in social science research. A comprehensive bibliography, suggestion for further reading, and an index provide useful reference material."--Back cover The definitive introduction for students and practitioners undertaking social research in New Zealand.