Making Sense of the Social World

The bestselling Making Sense of the Social World: Methods of Investigation introduces social science research methods as a way to study diverse social processes and to improve our understanding of social issues. Each chapter illustrates principles and techniques in research methods through interesting examples drawn from social science investigations and everyday experiences. The many updates to the Seventh Edition include: new examples of contemporary research, including on social media and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; new developments in methods, including the challenges of the 2020 U.S. Census, survey response rates and survey question design, and more emphasis on culturally responsive research ethics; a new "Research in the News" feature in every chapter gives topical examples of social research from the news media; and new statistical data incorporated throughout, including from the 2022 General Social Survey.