Writing Research Papers in the Social Sciences


Book Description

Using the same step-by-step guidance that made Writing Research Papers 11e the definitive research paper guide, this text will enable students in the social science disciplines and in some freshman composition classes to create research papers that advance or defend a theory, offer a review of research methodology, or create a paper from their own empirical research using the APA style. Writing Research Papers in the Social Sciences provides sample papers demonstrating the rules of documentation as well as the writing style for the social sciences while detailing the uses of new computer technologies students are using today.




Writing for Social Scientists


Book Description

Students and researchers all write under pressure, and those pressures—most lamentably, the desire to impress your audience rather than to communicate with them—often lead to pretentious prose, academic posturing, and, not infrequently, writer’s block. Sociologist Howard S. Becker has written the classic book on how to conquer these pressures and simply write. First published nearly twenty years ago, Writing for Social Scientists has become a lifesaver for writers in all fields, from beginning students to published authors. Becker’s message is clear: in order to learn how to write, take a deep breath and then begin writing. Revise. Repeat. It is not always an easy process, as Becker wryly relates. Decades of teaching, researching, and writing have given him plenty of material, and Becker neatly exposes the foibles of academia and its “publish or perish” atmosphere. Wordiness, the passive voice, inserting a “the way in which” when a simple “how” will do—all these mechanisms are a part of the social structure of academic writing. By shrugging off such impediments—or at the very least, putting them aside for a few hours—we can reform our work habits and start writing lucidly without worrying about grades, peer approval, or the “literature.” In this new edition, Becker takes account of major changes in the computer tools available to writers today, and also substantially expands his analysis of how academic institutions create problems for them. As competition in academia grows increasingly heated, Writing for Social Scientists will provide solace to a new generation of frazzled, would-be writers.




Writing in the Social Sciences


Book Description

Ideal for students new to academic writing, Writing in the Social Sciences, Second Edition, is a clear, step-by-step guide to the entire writing process. Students will learn how to select and research a topic, develop and refine their ideas into a comprehensive outline, and convert the outline into a research paper or book report.




The Literature Review


Book Description

This Second Edition of Diana Ridley’s bestselling guide to the literature review outlines practical strategies for reading and note taking, and guides the reader on how to conduct a systematic search of the available literature, and uses cases and examples throughout to demonstrate best practice in writing and presenting the review. New to this edition are examples drawn from a wide range of disciplines, a new chapter on conducting a systematic review, increased coverage of issues of evaluating quality and conducting reviews using online sources and online literature and enhanced guidance in dealing with copyright and permissions issues.




Teaching Writing in the Social Studies


Book Description

"Good writing skills are a pathway to academic success and a lifelong asset for students. The social studies disciplines offer excellent opportunities for the development of these skills because social studies subjects require students to present informatiion clearly and accurately, to summarize different perspectives, and to construct persuasive arguments ... This book offers invaluable suggestions that will help social studies teachers in grades 7 through 12 to teach the skills of communication and self-expression that will enable students to achieve their college and career goals and become effective citizens with a voice in American society."--Page 4 of printed paper wrapper.




Social Science Research


Book Description

This book is designed to introduce doctoral and graduate students to the process of conducting scientific research in the social sciences, business, education, public health, and related disciplines. It is a one-stop, comprehensive, and compact source for foundational concepts in behavioral research, and can serve as a stand-alone text or as a supplement to research readings in any doctoral seminar or research methods class. This book is currently used as a research text at universities on six continents and will shortly be available in nine different languages.




Writing and Publishing Science Research Papers in English


Book Description

This book provides a comprehensive review of the current knowledge on writing and publishing scientific research papers and the social contexts. It deals with both English and non-Anglophone science writers, and presents a global perspective and an international focus. The book collects and synthesizes research from a range of disciplines, including applied linguistics, the sociology of science, sociolinguistics, bibliometrics, composition studies, and science education. This multidisciplinary approach helps the reader gain a solid understanding of the subject. Divided into three parts, the book considers the context of scientific papers, the text itself, and the people involved. It explains how the typical sections of scientific papers are structured. Standard English scientific writing style is also compared with science papers written in other languages. The book discusses the strengths and challenges faced by people with different degrees of science writing expertise and the role of journal editors and reviewers.




Learn to Write Badly


Book Description

Modern academia is increasingly competitive yet the writing style of social scientists is routinely poor and continues to deteriorate. Are social science postgraduates being taught to write poorly? What conditions adversely affect the way they write? And which linguistic features contribute towards this bad writing? Michael Billig's witty and entertaining book analyses these questions in a quest to pinpoint exactly what is going wrong with the way social scientists write. Using examples from diverse fields such as linguistics, sociology and experimental social psychology, Billig shows how technical terminology is regularly less precise than simpler language. He demonstrates that there are linguistic problems with the noun-based terminology that social scientists habitually use - 'reification' or 'nominalization' rather than the corresponding verbs 'reify' or 'nominalize'. According to Billig, social scientists not only use their terminology to exaggerate and to conceal, but also to promote themselves and their work.




Narratives in Social Science Research


Book Description

Provides: an historical overview of the development of the narrative approach; a guide to how narrative methods can be applied in fieldwork; how to incorporate a narrative approach within a field project; guidelines for interpreting collected or produced narratives; and useful guides for further reading.




Strategies for Writing a Thesis by Publication in the Social Sciences and Humanities


Book Description

Responding to the growing popularity of the thesis by publication within doctoral education, this book offers practical advice and critical discussion of some of the central choices and challenges that PhD students considering dissertation options face. Drawing on current research and informed by extensive experience of working with and running workshops for PhD candidates who write article-based dissertations, this book gives readers an idea of what writing a thesis by publication entails – what its purpose is, what the various expectations might be for this emerging genre, and what the challenges might be in writing one. Particular emphasis is put on how to put the individual articles together to create a coherent thesis that clarifies the student’s individual original contribution. Written primarily for students, Strategies for Writing a Thesis by Publication in the Social Sciences and Humanities covers key topics such as: how the genre has developed, with an emphasis on the role of the narrative (introductory text) that accompanies the articles typical rhetorical challenges that writers of such dissertations face strategies for handling the writing process specific challenges of demonstrating doctorateness in the thesis by publication and strategies for addressing them institutional variations that the thesis writer should seek clarification on as early as possible structural elements of the narrative and their main functions the range of choices that can be made throughout the doctoral journey and thesis writing. This book is a must-read for PhD candidates and supervisors new to the genre, as well as those involved in directing PhD programmes who are interested in the pedagogical implications of the move towards article-based dissertations. The 'Insider Guides to Success in Academia' offers support and practical advice to doctoral students and early-career researchers. Covering the topics that really matter, but which often get overlooked, this indispensable series provides practical and realistic guidance to address many of the needs and challenges of trying to operate, and remain, in academia. These neat pocket guides fill specific and significant gaps in current literature. Each book offers insider perspectives on the often implicit rules of the game -- the things you need to know but usually aren't told by institutional postgraduate support, researcher development units, or supervisors -- and will address a practical topic that is key to career progression. They are essential reading for doctoral students, early-career researchers, supervisors, mentors, or anyone looking to launch or maintain their career in academia.