Research Methods for Public Administrators (2nd Edition) [Hardcover]

Elizabethann O'Sullivan (Author), Gary R. Rassel (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0801311721 | ISBN-13: 978-0801311727 | Publication Date: November 1994 | Edition: 2 Sub

This accessible text offers an abundance of engaging examples and provides step-by-step instructions to illustrate common research methods and techniques, providing students and future administrators with a sound foundation in model building, research design, measurement, and sampling. The book's statistical section focuses on correct use and interpretation of commonly used statistics, including linear regression.

 

The book's overall aim is to develop effective, efficient research skills among future public administrators so that they will be better policy makers. It accomplishes this not only by providing a solid foundation in technique, but also by developing an awareness of the ethical issues associated with conducting research and reporting findings.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 490 pages
• Publisher: Longman Pub Group; 2 Sub edition (November 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801311721
• ISBN-13: 978-0801311727
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,095,578 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Well its a research text, October 11, 2009

By 

David A. Zipp - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Research Methods for Public Administrators (4th Edition) (Hardcover)

So you decide you want your master's degree. So guess what, you have to take stats. Social statistical research is about as fun as removing your own tumor to be sure, and this book is the lemon juice that reminds you that 1. you are not a doctor, and 2. you are using a rusty butter knife.

Did I learn anything from this book? Yes, I learned that apparently there were 3 previous editions of this prose that failed to drive the reader to insanity. My favorite part was reading my wife's stats text book for an unrelated master's degree to understand what the heck this book was talking about.

I give this book 2 stars because in the event of a world ending disaster, you can use its many useless pages as either fire starter paper, or toilet tissue. I would personally recommend the later, because world ending event or not, this book already stinks.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Useful research methods book, March 5, 2010

By 

Steven A. Peterson (Hershey, PA (Born in Kewanee, IL)) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Research Methods for Public Administrators (4th Edition) (Hardcover)

A few years back, the instructor assigned to teach the research methods course in our Master of Public Administration program had some health problems. I stepped in for a couple weeks until we found a replacement. This was the textbook assigned for that class.

In terms of coverage of subjects, this is a mainstream choice. The sequence of chapters: Preliminary steps in a research project; Designs for description (such as case studies, meta-analysis, qualitative research); Designs for explanation (issues covered include validity, experimental, quasi-experimental, and nonexperimental designs); Measuring variables; Sampling; Contacting and talking to subjects; Data collection; Protection of human subjects; Secondary data analysis; Index construction; Univariate statistical analysis; Tests of statistical significance (a subject that I always had a hard time getting through to students with); Measures of association and analysis of variance; Regression and correlation; Communicating findings. Not all textbooks integrate statistics and research methods. This one does. It provides problems for students to work on, to provide experience with the issues discussed in the text.

Overall, an adequate text. I am not sure that it covers subjects in the depth that I would like. Any methods text terrifies a certain proportion of students in the class. This is scarcely the worst in that respect.

5.0 out of 5 stars Tough subject matter great book, November 15, 2010

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Sunflower - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Research Methods for Public Administrators (5th Edition) (Hardcover)

Tough subject matter but I thought this book did a great job of explaining in clear detail. It was pretty easy to read and understand.