Understanding Research, 2nd edition

• Integrated within the narrative, interactives empower students to engage with concepts and take an active role in learning. REVEL's unique presentation of media as an intrinsic part of course content brings the hallmark features of Pearson's bestselling titles to life. REVEL's media interactives have been designed to be completed quickly, so students stay focused and on task.
• End-of-chapter quizzing affords students opportunities to check their understanding before moving on.
• REVEL’s integrated writing tools enable educators to introduce writing – among the best ways to foster and assess critical thinking – into the course without significantly impacting their grading burden. Self-paced Journaling Prompts throughout the narrative encourage students to express their thoughts without breaking stride in their reading. Assignable Shared Writing Activities direct students to share written responses with classmates, fostering peer discussion.
• REVEL’s fully mobile learning experience enables students to read and interact with course material on the devices they use, anywhere and anytime. Responsive design allows students to access REVEL on their tablet devices and smart phones, with content displayed clearly in both portrait and landscape view.
• Highlighting, note taking, and a glossary let students read and study however they like. Educators can add notes for students, too, including reminders or study tips.

• REVEL’s assignment calendar allows educators to indicate precisely which readings must be completed on which dates. This clear, detailed schedule helps students stay on task by eliminating any ambiguity as to which material will be covered during each class. And when students know what is expected of them, they're better motivated to keep up.
• REVEL’s performance dashboard lets educators monitor class assignment completion as well as individual student achievement. It offers actionable information that helps educators intersect with their students in meaningful ways, such as points earned on quizzes and tests and time on task. Of particular note, the trending column reveals whether students' grades are improving or declining – which helps educators identify students who might need help to stay on track.

New content reflects contemporary practices in research and makes the text easier for students to navigate

• NEW! Each chapter opens with a vignette/case that has real-world relevance and connections to the chapter’s content.
• NEW! An explicit set of learning objectives provided for each chapter helps guide students through the material by offering concrete goals.
• NEW! Emphasis is placed on the importance of critical thinking and on the idea of having “standards of evidence” for data in social science research.
• NEW! Topics are presented in a question-answer format and include the practical design issues for conducting both qualitative and quantitative research. The discussion on variables and hypotheses shows readers how to move from having general ideas about a cause-effect relationship to drawing a diagram as causal explanation.
• NEW! Discussion on the research report writing process now includes an illustration of the writing of a qualitative data study, by showing it in an article that was introduced in the chapter on field research.
• NEW! New approaches to discussing non-reactive research techniques are included, challenging students to use their creativity and powers of observation, and to consider how they might unobtrusively observe, document, and analyze data on an issue.

An accessible approach and a variety of pedagogical features guide students through challenging material

• A non-threatening and highly accessible approach is perfect for students who don’t already have a background in social-behavioral research.
• Color, photos, diagrams, and hand-on activities keep students from getting overwhelmed with technical explanations and terms.
• Examples and illustrations from many disciplines provide the fundamentals of doing research within the context of a wide range of academic fields (sociology, psychology, and political science) as well as the applied professions (education, business, criminal justice, nursing, and urban planning).
• Critical reading skills are developed to help students evaluate and understand the significance of published studies.
• Unique and varied pedagogical features help students master concepts and see the practical applications of research:
  • Chapter-opening cases immediately engage students and illustrate the utility of research in a variety of “real” settings.
  • Making It Practical boxes give students a glimpse into the researcher’s “toolbox,” so they can understand how practitioners use research methods in their work.
  • Example Study boxes use findings from real research studies to exemplify research concepts.
  • Review Summary boxes summarize preceding sections in outline form.
  • Learning from History boxes provide examples from famous studies to show students that research ideas are tied to established theories.
  • Tips for the Wise Consumer features list questions that students should consider when reading research studies.
  • Applying What You Know consists of hands-on activities at the end of the chapters that give students opportunities to apply what they have just learned.

• Integrated within the narrative, interactives empower students to engage with concepts and take an active role in learning. REVEL's unique presentation of media as an intrinsic part of course content brings the hallmark features of Pearson's bestselling titles to life. REVEL's media interactives have been designed to be completed quickly, so students stay focused and on task.
• End-of-chapter quizzing affords students opportunities to check their understanding before moving on.
• REVEL’s integrated writing tools enable educators to introduce writing – among the best ways to foster and assess critical thinking – into the course without significantly impacting their grading burden. Self-paced Journaling Prompts throughout the narrative encourage students to express their thoughts without breaking stride in their reading. Assignable Shared Writing Activities direct students to share written responses with classmates, fostering peer discussion.
• REVEL’s fully mobile learning experience enables students to read and interact with course material on the devices they use, anywhere and anytime. Responsive design allows students to access REVEL on their tablet devices and smart phones, with content displayed clearly in both portrait and landscape view.
• Highlighting, note taking, and a glossary let students read and study however they like. Educators can add notes for students, too, including reminders or study tips.

• REVEL’s assignment calendar allows educators to indicate precisely which readings must be completed on which dates. This clear, detailed schedule helps students stay on task by eliminating any ambiguity as to which material will be covered during each class. And when students know what is expected of them, they're better motivated to keep up.
• REVEL’s performance dashboard lets educators monitor class assignment completion as well as individual student achievement. It offers actionable information that helps educators intersect with their students in meaningful ways, such as points earned on quizzes and tests and time on task. Of particular note, the trending column reveals whether students' grades are improving or declining – which helps educators identify students who might need help to stay on track.

• Each chapter opens with a vignette/case that has real-world relevance and connections to the chapter’s content.
• An explicit set of learning objectives provided for each chapter helps guide students through the material by offering concrete goals.
• Emphasis is placed on the importance of critical thinking and on the idea of having “standards of evidence” for data in social science research.
• Topics are presented in a question-answer format and include the practical design issues for conducting both qualitative and quantitative research. The discussion on variables and hypotheses shows readers how to move from having general ideas about a cause-effect relationship to drawing a diagram as causal explanation.
• Discussion on the research report writing process now includes an illustration of the writing of a qualitative data study, by showing it in an article that was introduced in the chapter on field research.
• New approaches to discussing non-reactive research techniques are included, challenging students to use their creativity and powers of observation, and to consider how they might unobtrusively observe, document, and analyze data on an issue.