The Research Act: A Theoretical Introduction to Sociological Methods

At once a unique textbook for methods courses and a major contribution to sociological theory, this book teaches students the principles of research and how to construct and test theories. It brings coherence to the study of methods by presenting four major approaches to experimentation: survey research, participant observation,life histories, and unobtrusive measures from a single theoretical point of view,symbolic interaction. It demonstrates the need for a synthesis between theory and methods, and shows how diff erent methods limit and aff ect research results.