book: Becoming a Behavioral Science Researcher: A Guide to Producing Research That Matters

book: Becoming a Behavioral Science Researcher: A Guide to Producing Research That Matters | Rex B. Kline PhD ...

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	• Becoming a Behavioral Science Researcher: A Guide to Producing Research That Matters Rex B. Kline PhD The Guilford Press, 2008 - 367 pages average customer review:based on 1 review view larger image
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A Must Buy for Researchers in Psychology and Education

Even though this book is geared towards undergraduate and graduate students, I found it incredibly helpful as a young researcher. It helped fill in the gaps in my graduate training. As the author explains, most graduate programs fail to adequately prepare students for the actual process of doing research. I found the chapter "The Truth about Statistics" particularly illuminating--like many behavioral researchers I've run study after study trying to achieve the mythical p < .05, thinking that would prove both the success of my study and my research expertise. Turns out that it doesn't prove much and there are much better ways of analyzing your data. I also really appreciated the chapter on measurement which is something I was never taught in graduate school. The quality of my studies would have greatly benefitted from knowing more about how to select an appropriate test, rather than just trying to figure out what everybody else has used before.

Dr. Kline is also very frank about both the strengths and weaknesses in social science research today; I wish I had read this book as a graduate student--it would have saved me a lot of heartache and confusion. I highly recommend it to anyone who conducts social science research for a living.

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Students and beginning researchers often discover that their introductory statistics and methods courses have not fully equipped them to plan and execute their own behavioral research studies. This indispensable book bridges the gap between coursework and conducting independent research. With clarity and wit, the author helps the reader build needed skills to formulate a precise, meaningful research question; understand the pros and cons of widely used research designs and analysis options; correctly interpret the outcomes of statistical tests; make informed measurement choices for a particular study; manage the practical aspects of data screening and preparation; and craft effective journal articles, oral presentations, and posters. Including annotated examples and recommended readings, most chapters feature theoretical and computer-based exercises; an answer appendix at the back of the book allows readers to check their work.

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