Evaluating Scientific Research: Separating Fact from Fiction

Leavitt aims to sensitize those who hope to do original scientific research to think creatively and critically about the literature they read, the questions they ask, the conceptual foundation of various research designs, and proper inferences from those designs. His highly accessible style avoids the technical language as he engagingly presents the complex and controversial issues related to scientific research. The book is divided into sections that deal with separate types of problems. Section I defines science and discusses its limitations; Section II helps to prepare the scientist for research with information about reading and evaluating the literature, recognizing conflicts of interest, finding a good problem, and asking good questions. The next two sections explore measurement issues and research designs. The final sections examine data analysis and raise philosophical issues.

Titles of related interest also from Waveland Press: Krathwhol, Methods of Educational and Social Science Research: An Integrated Approach, Second Edition (ISBN 9781577663331); Levy, Tools of Critical Thinking: Metathoughts for Psychology (ISBN 9781577663164); and Schweigert, Research Methods in Psychology: A Handbook, Second Edition (ISBN 9781577664154).