Evaluating Research in Academic Journals

Evaluating Research in Academic Journals is a guide for students learning how to evaluate reports of empirical research published in academic journals. It breaks down the process of evaluating a journal article into easy-to-understand steps and emphasizes the practical aspects of evaluating research.

The book describes the nuances that may make an article publishable, even when it has serious methodological flaws. Students learn when and why certain types of flaws may be tolerated, and why evaluation should not be performed mechanically. Each chapter is organized around evaluation questions, and the book includes numerous examples from journals in the social and behavioral sciences to illustrate the application of evaluation questions and provide actual instances of strong and weak features of published reports.

Common-sense models for evaluation, combined with a lack of jargon make it possible for students to start evaluating research articles in the first week of class, making this the ideal textbook for instructors and students across a range of disciplines.

New to this edition:

• A new chapter on Types of Research
• Coverage of the new realities of online survey methods and research using big data
• A new appendix on Emerging Issues in Survey Research
• More emphasis and information on qualitative, case studies, and action research
• Expanded discussion of research ethics, including additional research-ethics-oriented guidelines, and new appendices devoted to noteworthy cases of research ethics breaches.

The accompanying Instructor and Student Resources provide free digital materials designed to test student knowledge and save time when preparing lessons, including over 150 multiple-choice questions, articles, videos, and weblinks for students to test their knowledge of the material and further their understanding of concepts; and downloadable lecture slides and test banks for instructors.