A Quick Guide to Quantitative Research in the Social Sciences

Opinión de Hakseon Lee, Professor, James Madison University on 11/11/25

Exhaustividad clasificación: 4 ver menos

The textbook covers main topics in research methods in social science such as research question, research design, operationalization/collection of data (measurement, observation, surveys), data analysis, and discussion of results. It also includes practical examples and references for further reading. While it does not cover advanced statistical models such as multivariate analysis, it's understandable because it's written as a "quick guide."

Precisión de contenido clasificación: 5

Overall, the textbook explains the core concepts of research methodology, paradigms, data types, and the logic behind selecting statistical tests (e.g., Chi-squared for categorical association, correlation for scale relationships) accurately. It aligns with established principles of quantitative social science research.

Relevancia / Longevidad clasificación: 4

The content is overall very relevant. The textbook focuses on foundational elements such as paradigms, research design, descriptive vs. inferential statistics that form the enduring principles of quantitative research. Its focus on test selection is a pragmatic and highly relevant approach for a contemporary researcher who relies on statistical software. It can still be more relevant if more recent publications are added to the references.

Claridad clasificación: 5

The text is very clearly written. It is targeting readers who have little knowledge on statistics. It uses plain English, providing contextual examples from social sciences. In addition, it provides good summary tables for complex topics such as paradigms and statistical test selection. Still, some long sentences can be broken down for easier reading.

Consistencia clasificación: 4

The book is highly consistent in its structure. It maintains a consistent and practical voice throughout. The organization adheres to the natural progression of a research project: research question → research design → data collection/management→ data analysis → discussion. Terminology and concepts are built logically from one section to the next as well.

Modularidad clasificación: 4

The book is divided into seven sections, allowing readers to jump to specific topics (e.g., Research Designs, Data Analysis) as needed. The author clearly states it is a resource book/guide that readers can "come back to every time you start a new piece of quantitative research."

Organización / Estructura / Flujo clasificación: 5

The organization/structure is excellent following a logical, step-by-step flow mirroring the normal/usual quantitative research process in social science. Also, it provides visual aids such as tables and charts that should help read understand the materials.

Interfaz clasificación: 4

The interface is user-friendly for a quick reference guide. It has a clear table of contents, numbered sections, and well-designed tables to present key information concisely. Hyperlinks to external resources are included, which is good for digital use as an e-book. Specifically, Table 4 should be highly helpful for readers who look for a quick answer: choosing a relevant statistical test when they have specific/exemplary research questions.

Errores gramaticales clasificación: 5

The book is professionally written and free of significant grammatical errors.

Relevancia cultural clasificación: 4

Examples are drawn from diverse contexts (education, nursing, sociology, business) and no culturally insensitive language was found. I think an example of research concerning the lives of women in an African region (page 5) demonstrates an effort to include diverse global contexts. Still, for example, only GDPR in the EU (page 8) is mentioned and other regions' regulation/guideline on data protection can be added.

Overall, the book is beginner-friendly, practical, well-structured, including examples and references. While it may provide only limited depth for advanced users, but it should serve as an excellent starting point for most quantitative projects.

Opinión de Dianna Jones, APT Assistant Professor of Practice, University of Texas at Arlington on 1/22/25

Exhaustividad clasificación: 4 ver menos

The text states that it is a guide and provides an overview of quantitative research. The six sections and additional sources provided covered all of the necessary information to draft a quantitative research proposal.

Precisión de contenido clasificación: 3

Yes, the information was accurate, if brief. Consider more recent sources of knowledge and examples that expand on the key concepts and processes of development. For example, Section 2: Literature Review, students typically will conflate a literature review with an annotated bibliography, so additional information or graphic that depicts the differences and what is required for quantitative research.

Relevancia / Longevidad clasificación: 3

Text has multiple sources that are 10 or more years old and updated in 2022. Consider more recent sources to reduce editions of updates.

Claridad clasificación: 4

Text provides accurate technical terms and information. Accessibility, grammar and other written text may be lost in translations.

Consistencia clasificación: 4

The text is consistent with other published knowledge, including the terminology and processes. For example, highlighting the typical research designs, including mixed methods (Creswell, 2017).

Modularidad clasificación: 4

The text is organized in Sections that can supplement a more comprehensive text. Perfect for beginners and students in research that may not understand the brief information contained in the text.

Organización / Estructura / Flujo clasificación: 4

The topics are logical and guides the reader through the key steps from conceptualization of a research study to development of the research question and other considerations. Consider expanding introduction of the preceding procedures and developing the initial research questions. However, this text is a great supplement.

Interfaz clasificación: 5

No issues with Interface of the materials.

Errores gramaticales clasificación: 4

Some grammatical errors were present, however, overall, the grammatical errors can be attributed to the known grammatical differences between American English and British English.

Relevancia cultural clasificación: 5

The text is culturally sensitive and provides the basic information. Consider additional examples to represent additional quantitative study in social sciences.

The book is a short guide and useful for anyone seeking to understand quantitative research to demonstrate the importance of quantitative research processes in analyzing social sciences from a quantitative lens. Great guide.

Opinión de Jennifer Taylor, Assistant Professor, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi on 4/18/24

Exhaustividad clasificación: 4 ver menos

This resource is a quick guide to quantitative research in the social sciences and not a comprehensive resource. It provides a VERY general overview of quantitative research but offers a good starting place for students new to research. It offers links and references to additional resources that are more comprehensive in nature.

Precisión de contenido clasificación: 4

The content is relatively accurate. The measurement scale section is very sparse. Not all types of research designs or statistical methods are included, but it is a guide, so details are meant to be limited.

Relevancia / Longevidad clasificación: 4

The examples were interesting and appropriate. The content is up to date and will be useful for several years.

Claridad clasificación: 5

The text was clearly written. Tables and figures are not referenced in the text, which would have been nice.

Consistencia clasificación: 5

The framework is consistent across chapters with terminology clearly highlighted and defined.

Modularidad clasificación: 5

The chapters are subdivided into section that can be divided and assigned as reading in a course. Most chapters are brief and concise, unless elaboration is necessary, such as with the data analysis chapter. Again, this is a guide and not a comprehensive text, so sections are shorter and don't always include every subtopic that may be considered.

Organización / Estructura / Flujo clasificación: 5

The guide is well organized. I appreciate that the topics are presented in a logical and clear manner. The topics are provided in an order consistent with traditional research methods.

Interfaz clasificación: 5

The interface was easy to use and navigate. The images were clear and easy to read.

Errores gramaticales clasificación: 5

I did not notice any grammatical errors.

Relevancia cultural clasificación: 5

The materials are not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way.

I teach a Marketing Research course to undergraduates. I would consider using some of the chapters or topics included, especially the overview of the research designs and the analysis of data section.

Opinión de Tiffany Kindratt, Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Arlington on 3/9/24

Exhaustividad clasificación: 3 ver menos

The text provides a brief overview of quantitative research topics that is geared towards research in the fields of education, sociology, business, and nursing. The author acknowledges that the textbook is not a comprehensive resource but offers references to other resources that can be used to deepen the knowledge. The text does not include a glossary or index. The references in the figures for each chapter are not included in the reference section. It would be helpful to include those.

Precisión de contenido clasificación: 4

Overall, the text is accurate. For example, Figure 1 on page 6 provides a clear overview of the research process. It includes general definitions of primary and secondary research. It would be helpful to include more details to explain some of the examples before they are presented. For instance, the example on page 5 was unclear how it pertains to the literature review section.

Relevancia / Longevidad clasificación: 4

In general, the text is relevant and up-to-date. The text includes many inferences of moving from qualitative to quantitative analysis. This was surprising to me as a quantitative researcher. The author mentions that moving from a qualitative to quantitative approach should only be done when needed. As a predominantly quantitative researcher, I would not advice those interested in transitioning to using a qualitative approach that qualitative research would enhance their research—not something that should only be done if you have to.

Claridad clasificación: 4

The text is written in a clear manner. It would be helpful to the reader if there was a description of the tables and figures in the text before they are presented.

Consistencia clasificación: 4

The framework for each chapter and terminology used are consistent.

Modularidad clasificación: 4

The text is clearly divided into sections within each chapter. Overall, the chapters are a similar brief length except for the chapter on data analysis, which is much more comprehensive than others.

Organización / Estructura / Flujo clasificación: 4

The topics in the text are presented in a clear and logical order. The order of the text follows the conventional research methodology in social sciences.

Interfaz clasificación: 5

I did not encounter any interface issues when reviewing this text. All links worked and there were no distortions of the images or charts that may confuse the reader.

Errores gramaticales clasificación: 3

There are some grammatical/typographical errors throughout. Of note, for Section 5 in the table of contents. “The” should be capitalized to start the title. In the title for Table 3, the “t” in typical should be capitalized.

Relevancia cultural clasificación: 4

The examples are culturally relevant. The text is geared towards learners in the UK, but examples are relevant for use in other countries (i.e., United States). I did not see any examples that may be considered culturally insensitive or offensive in any way.

I teach a course on research methods in a Bachelor of Science in Public Health program. I would consider using some of the text, particularly in the analysis chapter to supplement the current textbook in the future.

Opinión de Finn Bell, Assistant Professor, University of Michigan, Dearborn on 1/3/24

Exhaustividad clasificación: 3 ver menos

For it being a quick guide and only 26 pages, it is very comprehensive, but it does not include an index or glossary.

Precisión de contenido clasificación: 5

As far as I can tell, the text is accurate, error-free and unbiased.

Relevancia / Longevidad clasificación: 5

This text is up-to-date, and given the content, unlikely to become obsolete any time soon.

Claridad clasificación: 5

The text is very clear and accessible.

Consistencia clasificación: 5

The text is internally consistent.

Modularidad clasificación: 5

Given how short the text is, it seems unnecessary to divide it into smaller readings, nonetheless, it is clearly labelled such that an instructor could do so.

Organización / Estructura / Flujo clasificación: 5

The text is well-organized and brings readers through basic quantitative methods in a logical, clear fashion.

Interfaz clasificación: 5

Easy to navigate. Only one table that is split between pages, but not in a way that is confusing.

Errores gramaticales clasificación: 5

There were no noticeable grammatical errors.

Relevancia cultural clasificación: 4

The examples in this book don't give enough information to rate this effectively.

This text is truly a very quick guide at only 26 double-spaced pages. Nonetheless, Davies packs a lot of information on the basics of quantitative research methods into this text, in an engaging way with many examples of the concepts presented. This guide is more of a brief how-to that takes readers as far as how to select statistical tests. While it would be impossible to fully learn quantitative research from such a short text, of course, this resource provides a great introduction, overview, and refresher for program evaluation courses.

Opinión de Shari Fedorowicz, Adjunct Professor, Bridgewater State University on 12/16/22

Exhaustividad clasificación: 5 ver menos

The text is indeed a quick guide for utilizing quantitative research. Appropriate and effective examples and diagrams were used throughout the text. The author clearly differentiates between use of quantitative and qualitative research providing the reader with the ability to distinguish two terms that frequently get confused. In addition, links and outside resources are provided to deepen the understanding as an option for the reader. The use of these links, coupled with diagrams and examples make this text comprehensive.

Precisión de contenido clasificación: 4

The content is mostly accurate. Given that it is a quick guide, the author chose a good selection of which types of research designs to include. However, some are not provided. For example, correlational or cross-correlational research is omitted and is not discussed in Section 3, but is used as a statistical example in the last section.

Relevancia / Longevidad clasificación: 5

Examples utilized were appropriate and associated with terms adding value to the learning. The tables that included differentiation between types of statistical tests along with a parametric/nonparametric table were useful and relevant.

Claridad clasificación: 5

The purpose to the text and how to use this guide book is stated clearly and is established up front. The author is also very clear regarding the skill level of the user. Adding to the clarity are the tables with terms, definitions, and examples to help the reader unpack the concepts. The content related to the terms was succinct, direct, and clear. Many times examples or figures were used to supplement the narrative.

Consistencia clasificación: 5

The text is consistent throughout from contents to references. Within each section of the text, the introductory paragraph under each section provides a clear understanding regarding what will be discussed in each section. The layout is consistent for each section and easy to follow.

Modularidad clasificación: 5

The contents are visible and address each section of the text. A total of seven sections, including a reference section, is in the contents. Each section is outlined by what will be discussed in the contents. In addition, within each section, a heading is provided to direct the reader to the subtopic under each section.

Organización / Estructura / Flujo clasificación: 4

The text is well-organized and segues appropriately. I would have liked to have seen an introductory section giving a narrative overview of what is in each section. This would provide the reader with the ability to get a preliminary glimpse into each upcoming sections and topics that are covered.

Interfaz clasificación: 5

The book was easy to navigate and well-organized. Examples are presented in one color, links in another and last, figures and tables. The visuals supplemented the reading and placed appropriately. This provides an opportunity for the reader to unpack the reading by use of visuals and examples.

Errores gramaticales clasificación: 5

No significant grammatical errors.

Relevancia cultural clasificación: 5

The text is not offensive or culturally insensitive. Examples were inclusive of various races, ethnicities, and backgrounds.

This quick guide is a beneficial text to assist in unpacking the learning related to quantitative statistics. I would use this book to complement my instruction and lessons, or use this book as a main text with supplemental statistical problems and formulas. References to statistical programs were appropriate and were useful. The text did exactly what was stated up front in that it is a direct guide to quantitative statistics. It is well-written and to the point with content areas easy to locate by topic.

Opinión de Sarah Capello, Assistant Professor, Radford University on 1/18/22

Exhaustividad clasificación: 4 ver menos

The text claims to provide "quick and simple advice on quantitative aspects of research in social sciences," which it does. There is no index or glossary, although vocabulary words are bolded and defined throughout the text.

Precisión de contenido clasificación: 4

The content is mostly accurate. I would have preferred a few nuances to be hashed out a bit further to avoid potential reader confusion or misunderstanding of the concepts presented.

Relevancia / Longevidad clasificación: 4

The content is current; however, some of the references cited in the text are outdated. Newer editions of those texts exist.

Claridad clasificación: 5

The text is very accessible and readable for a variety of audiences. Key terms are well-defined.

Consistencia clasificación: 5

There are no content discrepancies within the text. The author even uses similarly shaped graphics for recurring purposes throughout the text (e.g., arrow call outs for further reading, rectangle call outs for examples).

Modularidad clasificación: 5

The content is chunked nicely by topics and sections. If it were used for a course, it would be easy to assign different sections of the text for homework, etc. without confusing the reader if the instructor chose to present the content in a different order.

Organización / Estructura / Flujo clasificación: 5

The author follows the structure of the research process. The organization of the text is easy to follow and comprehend.

Interfaz clasificación: 5

All of the supplementary images (e.g., tables and figures) were beneficial to the reader and enhanced the text.

Errores gramaticales clasificación: 5

There are no significant grammatical errors.

Relevancia cultural clasificación: 5

I did not find any culturally offensive or insensitive references in the text.

This text does the difficult job of introducing the complicated concepts and processes of quantitative research in a quick and easy reference guide fairly well. I would not depend solely on this text to teach students about quantitative research, but it could be a good jumping off point for those who have no prior knowledge on this subject or those who need a gentle introduction before diving in to more advanced and complex readings of quantitative research methods.

Opinión de J. Marlie Henry, Adjunct Faculty, University of Saint Francis on 12/9/21

Exhaustividad clasificación: 5 ver menos

Considering the length of this guide, this does a good job of addressing major areas that typically need to be addressed. There is a contents section. The guide does seem to be organized accordingly with appropriate alignment and logical flow of thought. There is no glossary but, for a guide of this length, a glossary does not seem like it would enhance the guide significantly.

Precisión de contenido clasificación: 4

The content is relatively accurate. Expanding the content a bit more or explaining that the methods and designs presented are not entirely inclusive would help. As there are different schools of thought regarding what should/should not be included in terms of these designs and methods, simply bringing attention to that and explaining a bit more would help.

Relevancia / Longevidad clasificación: 3

This content needs to be updated. Most of the sources cited are seven or more years old. Even more, it would be helpful to see more currently relevant examples. Some of the source authors such as Andy Field provide very interesting and dynamic instruction in general, but they have much more current information available.

Claridad clasificación: 5

The language used is clear and appropriate. Unnecessary jargon is not used. The intent is clear- to communicate simply in a straightforward manner.

Consistencia clasificación: 5

The guide seems to be internally consistent in terms of terminology and framework. There do not seem to be issues in this area. Terminology is internally consistent.

Modularidad clasificación: 5

For a guide of this length, the author structured this logically into sections. This guide could be adopted in whole or by section with limited modifications. Courses with fewer than seven modules could also logically group some of the sections.

Organización / Estructura / Flujo clasificación: 5

This guide does present with logical organization. The topics presented are conceptually sequenced in a manner that helps learners build logically on prior conceptualization. This also provides a simple conceptual framework for instructors to guide learners through the process.

Interfaz clasificación: 4

The visuals themselves are simple, but they are clear and understandable without distracting the learner. The purpose is clear- that of learning rather than visuals for the sake of visuals. Likewise, navigation is clear and without issues beyond a broken link (the last source noted in the references).

Errores gramaticales clasificación: 5

This guide seems to be free of grammatical errors.

Relevancia cultural clasificación: 5

It would be interesting to see more cultural integration in a guide of this nature, but the guide is not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way. The language used seems to be consistent with APA's guidelines for unbiased language.

Opinión de Heng Yu-Ku, Professor, University of Northern Colorado on 5/13/21

Exhaustividad clasificación: 4 ver menos

The text covers all areas and ideas appropriately and provides practical tables, charts, and examples throughout the text. I would suggest the author also provides a complete research proposal at the end of Section 3 (page 10) and a comprehensive research study as an Appendix after section 7 (page 26) to help readers comprehend information better.

Precisión de contenido clasificación: 4

For the most part, the content is accurate and unbiased. However, the author only includes four types of research designs used on the social sciences that contain quantitative elements: 1. Mixed method, 2) Case study, 3) Quasi-experiment, and 3) Action research. I wonder why the correlational research is not included as another type of quantitative research design as it has been introduced and emphasized in section 6 by the author.

Relevancia / Longevidad clasificación: 5

I believe the content is up-to-date and that necessary updates will be relatively easy and straightforward to implement.

Claridad clasificación: 4

The text is easy to read and provides adequate context for any technical terminology used. However, the author could provide more detailed information about estimating the minimum sample size but not just refer the readers to use the online sample calculators at a different website.

Consistencia clasificación: 5

The text is internally consistent in terms of terminology and framework. The author provides the right amount of information with additional information or resources for the readers.

Modularidad clasificación: 5

The text includes seven sections. Therefore, it is easier for the instructor to allocate or divide the content into different weeks of instruction within the course.

Organización / Estructura / Flujo clasificación: 5

Yes, the topics in the text are presented in a logical and clear fashion. The author provides clear and precise terminologies, summarizes important content in Table or Figure forms, and offers examples in each section for readers to check their understanding.

Interfaz clasificación: 4

The interface of the book is consistent and clear, and all the images and charts provided in the book are appropriate. However, I did encounter some navigation problems as a couple of links are not working or requires permission to access those (pages 10 and 27).

Errores gramaticales clasificación: 5

No grammatical errors were found.

Relevancia cultural clasificación: 5

No culturally incentive or offensive in its language and the examples provided were found.

As the book title stated, this book provides “A Quick Guide to Quantitative Research in Social Science. It offers easy-to-read information and introduces the readers to the research process, such as research questions, research paradigms, research process, research designs, research methods, data collection, data analysis, and data discussion. However, some links are not working or need permissions to access them (pages 10 and 27).

Opinión de Hsiao-Chin Kuo, Assistant Professor, Northeastern Illinois University on 4/26/21, updated 4/28/21

Exhaustividad clasificación: 4 ver menos

As a quick guide, it covers basic concepts related to quantitative research. It starts with WHY quantitative research with regard to asking research questions and considering research paradigms, then provides an overview of research design and process, discusses methods, data collection and analysis, and ends with writing a research report. It also identifies its target readers/users as those begins to explore quantitative research. It would be helpful to include more examples for readers/users who are new to quantitative research.

Precisión de contenido clasificación: 4

Its content is mostly accurate and no bias given its nature as a quick guide. Yet, it is also quite simplified, such as its explanations of mixed methods, case study, quasi-experimental research, and action research. It provides resources for extended reading, yet more recent works will be helpful.

Relevancia / Longevidad clasificación: 4

The book is relevant given its nature as a quick guide. It would be helpful to provide more recent works in its resources for extended reading, such as the section for Survey Research (p. 12). It would also be helpful to include more information to introduce common tools and software for statistical analysis.

Claridad clasificación: 5

The book is written with clear and understandable language. Important terms and concepts are presented with plain explanations and examples. Figures and tables are also presented to support its clarity. For example, Table 4 (p. 20) gives an easy-to-follow overview of different statistical tests.

Consistencia clasificación: 5

The framework is very consistent with key points, further explanations, examples, and resources for extended reading. The sample studies are presented following the layout of the content, such as research questions, design and methods, and analysis. These examples help reinforce readers' understanding of these common research elements.

Modularidad clasificación: 4

The book is divided into seven chapters. Each chapter clearly discusses an aspect of quantitative research. It can be easily divided into modules for a class or for a theme in a research method class. Chapters are short and provides additional resources for extended reading.

Organización / Estructura / Flujo clasificación: 5

The topics in the chapters are presented in a logical and clear structure. It is easy to follow to a degree. Though, it would be also helpful to include the chapter number and title in the header next to its page number.

Interfaz clasificación: 4

The text is easy to navigate. Most of the figures and tables are displayed clearly. Yet, there are several sections with empty space that is a bit confusing in the beginning. Again, it can be helpful to include the chapter number/title next to its page number.

Errores gramaticales clasificación: 4

No major grammatical errors were found.

Relevancia cultural clasificación: 4

There are no cultural insensitivities noted.

Given the nature and purpose of this book, as a quick guide, it provides readers a quick reference for important concepts and terms related to quantitative research. Because this book is quite short (27 pages), it can be used as an overview/preview about quantitative research. Teacher's facilitation/input and extended readings will be needed for a deeper learning and discussion about aspects of quantitative research.

Opinión de Yang Cheng, Assistant Professor, North Carolina State University on 1/6/21

Exhaustividad clasificación: 4 ver menos

It covers the most important topics such as research progress, resources, measurement, and analysis of the data.

Precisión de contenido clasificación: 4

The book accurately describes the types of research methods such as mixed-method, quasi-experiment, and case study. It talks about the research proposal and key differences between statistical analyses as well.

Relevancia / Longevidad clasificación: 4

The book pinpointed the significance of running a quantitative research method and its relevance to the field of social science.

Claridad clasificación: 4

The book clearly tells us the differences between types of quantitative methods and the steps of running quantitative research for students.

Consistencia clasificación: 4

The book is consistent in terms of terminologies such as research methods or types of statistical analysis.

Modularidad clasificación: 4

It addresses the headlines and subheadlines very well and each subheading should be necessary for readers.

Organización / Estructura / Flujo clasificación: 4

The book was organized very well to illustrate the topic of quantitative methods in the field of social science.

Interfaz clasificación: 4

The pictures within the book could be further developed to describe the key concepts vividly.

Errores gramaticales clasificación: 5

The textbook contains no grammatical errors.

Relevancia cultural clasificación: 5

It is not culturally offensive in any way.

Overall, this is a simple and quick guide for this important topic. It should be valuable for undergraduate students who would like to learn more about research methods.

Opinión de Pierre Lu, Associate Professor, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on 11/20/20

Exhaustividad clasificación: 4 ver menos

As a quick guide to quantitative research in social sciences, the text covers most ideas and areas.

Precisión de contenido clasificación: 4

Mostly accurate content.

Relevancia / Longevidad clasificación: 5

As a quick guide, content is highly relevant.

Claridad clasificación: 4

Succinct and clear.

Consistencia clasificación: 4

Internally, the text is consistent in terms of terminology used.

Modularidad clasificación: 5

The text is easily and readily divisible into smaller sections that can be used as assignments.

Organización / Estructura / Flujo clasificación: 4

I like that there are examples throughout the book.

Interfaz clasificación: 5

Easy to read. No interface/ navigation problems.

Errores gramaticales clasificación: 5

No grammatical errors detected.

Relevancia cultural clasificación: 4

I am not aware of the culturally insensitive description. After all, this is a methodology book.

I think the book has potential to be adopted as a foundation for quantitative research courses, or as a review in the first weeks in advanced quantitative course.

Opinión de Sarah Fischer, Assistant Professor, Marymount University on 7/31/20

Exhaustividad clasificación: 3 ver menos

It is meant to be an overview, but it incredibly condensed and spends almost no time on key elements of statistics (such as what makes research generalizable, or what leads to research NOT being generalizable).

Precisión de contenido clasificación: 1

Contains VERY significant errors, such as saying that one can "accept" a hypothesis. (One of the key aspect of hypothesis testing is that one either rejects or fails to reject a hypothesis, but NEVER accepts a hypothesis.)

Relevancia / Longevidad clasificación: 5

Very relevant to those experiencing the research process for the first time. However, it is written by someone working in the natural sciences but is a text for social sciences. This does not explain the errors, but does explain why sometimes the author assumes things about the readers ("hail from more subjectivist territory") that are likely not true.

Claridad clasificación: 3

Some statistical terminology not explained clearly (or accurately), although the author has made attempts to do both.

Consistencia clasificación: 5

Very consistently laid out.

Modularidad clasificación: 5

Chapters are very short yet also point readers to outside texts for additional information. Easy to follow.

Organización / Estructura / Flujo clasificación: 5

Generally logically organized.

Interfaz clasificación: 5

Easy to navigate, images clear. The additional sources included need to linked to.

Errores gramaticales clasificación: 4

Minor grammatical and usage errors throughout the text.

Relevancia cultural clasificación: 5

Makes efforts to be inclusive.

The idea of this book is strong--short guides like this are needed. However, this book would likely be strengthened by a revision to reduce inaccuracies and improve the definitions and technical explanations of statistical concepts. Since the book is specifically aimed at the social sciences, it would also improve the text to have more examples that are based in the social sciences (rather than the health sciences or the arts).

Opinión de Michelle Page, Assistant Professor, Worcester State University on 5/30/20

Exhaustividad clasificación: 3 ver menos

This text is exactly intended to be what it says: A quick guide. A basic outline of quantitative research processes, akin to cliff notes. The content provides only the essentials of a research process and contains key terms. A student or new researcher would not be able to use this as a stand alone guide for quantitative pursuits without having a supplemental text that explains the steps in the process more comprehensively. The introduction does provide this caveat.

Precisión de contenido clasificación: 3

There are no biases or errors that could be distinguished; however, it’s simplicity in content, although accurate for an outline of process, may lack a conveyance of the deeper meanings behind the specific processes explained about qualitative research.

Relevancia / Longevidad clasificación: 5

The content is outlined in traditional format to highlight quantitative considerations for formatting research foundational pieces. The resources/references used to point the reader to literature sources can be easily updated with future editions.

Claridad clasificación: 4

The jargon in the text is simple to follow and provides adequate context for its purpose. It is simplified for its intention as a guide which is appropriate.

Consistencia clasificación: 5

Each section of the text follows a consistent flow. Explanation of the research content or concept is defined and then a connection to literature is provided to expand the readers understanding of the section’s content. Terminology is consistent with the qualitative process.

Modularidad clasificación: 5

As an “outline” and guide, this text can be used to quickly identify the critical parts of the quantitative process. Although each section does not provide deeper content for meaningful use as a stand alone text, it’s utility would be excellent as a reference for a course and can be used as an content guide for specific research courses.

Organización / Estructura / Flujo clasificación: 5

The text’s outline and content are aligned and are in a logical flow in terms of the research considerations for quantitative research.

Interfaz clasificación: 4

The only issue that the format was not able to provide was linkable articles. These would have to be cut and pasted into a browser. Functional clickable links in a text are very successful at leading the reader to the supplemental material.

Errores gramaticales clasificación: 5

No grammatical errors were noted.

Relevancia cultural clasificación: 5

There are no cultural insensitivities noted.

This is a very good outline “guide” to help a new or student researcher to demystify the quantitative process. A successful outline of any process helps to guide work in a logical and systematic way. I think this simple guide is a great adjunct to more substantial research context.