Sect. 1. The Nature of Research. Ch. 1. An Introduction to Two Contrasting Research Styles. Ch. 2. The Variety of Research Methods. Ch. 3. From Findings to Knowledge. Ch. 4. The Research Chain of Reasoning -- Sect. 2. Foundational Research Skills. Ch. 5. Finding Research Problems. Ch. 6. Finding Links to Past Research: The Literature Review -- Sect. 3. Foundational Research Concepts. Ch. 7. Causal Inference and Internal Validity. Ch. 8. Sampling, Representation, and External Validity. Ch. 9. Research Criteria to Optimize and Constraints to Observe. Ch. 10. Ethical Standards and Legal Constraints -- Sect. 4. The Continuum of Research Methods: Qualitative End. Ch. 11. Qualitative Research Methods. Ch. 12. Fieldwork and Observation. Ch. 13. Interviewing. Ch. 14. Qualitative Data Analysis. Ch. 15. Conclusions, Reporting, and Quality Considerations in Qualitative Research -- Sect. 5. The Continuum of Research Methods: Qualitative-Quantitative Middle.

Ch. 16. Survey Research and Questionnaires -- Sect. 6. The Continuum of Research Methods: Quantitative End. Ch. 17. The Numeric Description of Data: Descriptive Statistics. Ch. 18. Measurement, Testing, and Observation. Ch. 19. The Nature and Logic of Inferential Statistics. Ch. 20. Experimental Methods and Experimental Design. Ch. 21. Meta-Analysis - Synthesis of Findings -- Sect. 7. Examples of Fields Applying Basic Methods. Ch. 22. Historical Research. Ch. 23. Evaluation Studies and Action Research -- Sect. 8. The Larger Context of Research. Ch. 24. Optimizing Research Effectiveness Through Multiple Methods. Ch. 25. The Macrosystem of Educational and Social Science Research -- Appendix. Writing a Research Proposal.