This textbook for undergraduate and graduate political science majors gives students the tools to conduct their own empirical research and to evaluate others' research, and helps students with limited math knowledge understand the statistical calculations that are part of social science research. The text begins with several case studies, which are used in discussions throughout the text. The material is organized along the steps of research, from reviewing the literature and research design, through various data collection methods such as sampling and document analysis, to data interpretation, statistical inference, and multivariate analysis. Pedagogical features include equation boxes, practical tips, and a glossary with 250 definitions, plus an annotated example of a 23-page published research report. Student and instructor websites are available and there is also a separate workbook. For this seventh edition, several chapters have been reworked to provide a more intuitive introduction to research methods. There is expanded material on income inequality in the US and extended discussion the literature review. Johnson and Reynolds are affiliated with the political science department at the University of Delaware. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Read Less