Description

For courses in Research Methods, Reading and Understanding Research, and Quantitative Methods/Statistics.

This uniquely accessible text shows precisely how to decipher and critique statistically-based research reports. Praised for its non-intimidating writing style, the text emphasises concepts over formulas.

The 6th edition contains 492 new excerpts drawn from recent journal articles, as well as three new chapters. Reading Statistics and Research gives readers the knowledge and confidence they need to understand, evaluate, and write research reports.

Features

While instructing its readers on how to read, understand, and critically evaluate the statistical information and research results contained in technical research reports, the text methodically presents basic statistical and research concepts and illustrates how to employ them in making sound educational decisions.

Key topic areas introduced include: descriptive statistics, correlation, reliability and validity, estimation, h hypothesis testing, t-tests, ANOVA, ANCOVA, regression, multivariate analysis, factor analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM).

Additionally, new mini-topics related to research and statistics are also discussed, such as the geometric mean, Tau-b correlation, Guttman split-half reliability, sensitivity, specificity, and the Sobel test. Dispersed throughout the text are 488 boxed features featuring excerpts that are completely new to this edition, utilising accounts from the most contemporary research reports out today. New, re-written chapters cover Multivariate Tests (Chapter 19), Factor Analysis (Chapter 20), and Structural Equation Modeling (Chapter 21).

New to this Edition

NEW! All 488 boxed excerpts , found throughout the text and taken from current research reports are 1) completely new to this edition, and 2) feature accounts from the most contemporary research reports out today.

NEW! Chapter 19 on Multivariate Tests covering means (i.e., ANOVA and ANCOVA) and supporting the fact that more and more researchers today are using these types of assessments.

NEW! Chapter 20 has been completely re-written to cover Factor Analysis in order to give readers an understanding of the subject matter, presenting the important new topic in research, “structural equation modeling.”

NEW! Chapter 21 on Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the valuable new tool being used by many researchers in the social sciences today, is covered in a completely revised and re-written chapter.

NEW! Chapter 16 explains the differences of “Moderated” and “Mediated” Multiple Regression in great detail and why the differences matter.

NEW! Chapter content covers a myriad of mini-topics related to research and statistics–such as the geometric mean, Tau-b correlation, Guttman split-half reliability, sensitivity, specificity, and the Sobel test. Mini-topics are dispersed throughout the text in appropriate places to give readers a better grasp at understanding the material, and ultimately deciphering and critiquing research reports on their own.

Table of Contents

• 1  The Typical Format of a Journal Article 
• 2 Descriptive Statistics: The Univariate Case 
• 3 Bivariate Correlation 
• 4 Reliability and Validity 
• 5 Foundations of Inferential Statistics 
• 6 Estimation  
• 7 Hypothesis Testing
• 8 Effect Size, Power, CIs, and Bonferroni
• 9 Statistical Inferences Concerning Bivariate Correlation Coefficients  
• 10 Inferences Concerning One or Two Means  
• 11 Tests on Three or More Means Using a One-Way ANOVA  
• 12 Post Hoc and Planned Comparisons  
• 13 Two-Way Analyses of Variance  
• 14 Analyses of Variance with Repeated Measures 
• 15 The Analysis of Covariance  
• 16 Bivariate, Multiple, and Logistic Regression 
• 17 Inferences on Percentages, Proportions, and Frequencies 
• 18 Statistical Tests on Ranks (Nonparametric Tests)  
• 19 Multivariate Tests on Means  
• 20 Factor Analysis  
• 21 Structural Equation Modeling   
• Epilogue