Analyzing Quantitative Data: From Description to Explanation

Front Cover
SAGE, 2003 M03 6 - 352 pages

What basic knowledge and skills do novice researchers in social science require? How can students be helped to over-come `symbol phobia' or `figure blindness'?

This generous and constantly insightful book is designed for social researchers who need to know what procedures to use under what circumstances, in practical research projects. It accomplishes this without requiring an in-depth understanding of statistical theory, but also avoids both trivializing procedures or resorting to `cookbook' techniques. Among the key features of the book are:

- Accessibility

- Organization of the wide, often bewildering array of methods of data analysis into a coherent and user-friendly scheme of classification: types of analysis and levels of measurement

- Demystification - the first chapter unpacks commonly taken-for-granted concepts such as `analysis', `data' and `quantitative'

- Location of methods in real research problems

The book is a triumphant introduction to the theory and practice of quantitative methods. It will quickly establish itself as essential reading for students doing social research throughout the social sciences.

`With this book Norman Blaikie retains his reputation as the leading rapporteur and raconteur of social research methodology. With many other introductory texts, data analysis becomes just an exercise unto itself, and students (sometimes) learn to go through the motions without really knowing why. After working with Blaikie's text, novice researchers will know why quantitative inquiry is important' - Ray Pawson, University of Leeds

 

Contents

Demystifying Basic Concepts
10
Working with Two Data Sets
37
Levels of measurement
43
Looking for Characteristics
47
37
55
39
58
symmetrical
66
Looking for Patterns
89
Preparing to Answer Research Questions
214
Answering Research Questions
249
Glossary
306
Symbols
324
Equations
326
SPSS Procedures
333
Statistical Tables
339
References
344

Other methods for ranked data
105
Comparing the measures
111
Looking for Influences
116
From Sample to Population
159
Index
347
Summary Chart of Methods
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