A straightforward, comprehensive, and approachable guide to research as practiced by social scientists, the Fourteenth Edition of this gold-standard book gives readers the tools they need to apply research concepts practically, as both a researcher and a consumer. The author emphasizes the process by showing readers how to design and construct projects, introducing the various observation modes in use today, and answering critical questions about research methods-such as how to conduct online surveys and analyze both qualitative and quantitative data.