Includes bibliographical references (p. 309-311) and index.

Pt. 1. The Fundamentals --
Ch. 1. What Is Research? --
Ch. 2. Tools of Research --
Pt. 2. Focusing Your Research Efforts --
Ch. 3. The Problem: The Heart of the Research Process --
Ch. 4. Review of the Related Literature --
Ch. 5. Planning Your Research Design --
Ch. 6. Writing the Research Proposal --
Pt. 3. Qualitative Research Methodologies --
Ch. 7 Qualitative Research --
Ch. 8. Historical Research --
Pt. 4. Quantitative Research Methodologies --
Ch. 9. Descriptive Research --
Ch. 10. Experimental and Causal Comparative Designs --
Ch. 11. Statistical Techniques for Analyzing Quantitative Data --
Pt. 5. Preparing the Research Report --
Ch. 12. Technical Details: Style, Format, and Organization of the Research Report.

For a wide variety of graduate or advanced undergraduate research courses. Written in uncommonly engaging, lucid, and elegant prose, this text is an understand-it-yourself, do-it-yourself manual designed to help research students in any discipline understand the fundamental structure of quality research and the methodical process that leads to genuinely significant results. It guides the reader, step-by-step, from the selection of a problem to study, through the process of conducting authentic research, to the preparation of a completed report, with practical suggestions based on a solid theoretical framework and sound pedagogy. Suited for the core text in any introductory research course or even for self-instruction, this text will show students two things: 1) that quality research demands planning and design; and, 2) how their own research projects can be executed effectively and professionally.