Contents
I. APPROACH TO SCIENCE
1. Scientific Research: Characteristics, Types and Methods
2. Concepts, Constructs and Variables
3. Hypotheses
4. Logic of Inquiry
II. DESIGNING OF RESEARCH
5. Problem Formation and Developing Research Questions
6. Research Design
III. TECHNIQUES OF DATA COLLECTION
7. Sampling
8. Questionnaire and Interview Schedule
9. Interview
10. Observation
11. Case Study
12. Content Analysis
13. Projective Techniques
IV. DATA PROCESSING AND ANALYSIS
14. Data Processing, Tabulation, Diagrammatic Representation and Analysis
15. Measurement and Scaling Techniques
V. THEORY BUILDING
16. Models, Paradigms and Theories
17. Ethics in Social Research
VI. STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES
18. Measures of Central Tendency
19. Measures of Dispersion
20. Measures of Association

This book is mainly designed for students and researchers of social sciences and business administration. It is organised into six parts, covering 20 chapters, each comprehensively dealing with varied aspects of the problem under discussion. What distinguishes it from other works on the subject is that it combines the author’s personal observations—based on his extensive research experience—with the experiences of other scholars as reflected in the literature. The aim is not only to acquaint students with the judicious blend of elementary and theoretical knowledge in social research but also guide the researchers with the basic complexities of undertaking research. The approach to analysis is interdisciplinary while examples from empirical studies conducted in Indian society make the text clearer.
Ever since the last edition of this book was published in 2001, Research Methods have come a long way. New edition of this best selling text is now updated with new content in Chapters 1, 9 and 14. Ethics and integrity in social research have become increasingly important for social scientists across disciplines. Catering to this need, a full length chapter on ‘Ethics in Social Research’ has been added to this edition. The book will continue to stimulate students, teachers and researchers across disciplines for years to come. (Source: Publisher Website)