The Elements of Social Scientific Thinking by Kenneth R. Hoover, Todd Donovan

Product Details

Synopsis

This introduction to social scientific reasoning offers an interdisciplinary approach to the material and assumes no previous background in statistics. The basic concepts, vocabulary, objectives, and methodologies are all explained. Appendices present two recent examples of social scientific writing. The authors teach political science at Western Washington University. Annotation ©2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Booknews

New edition of a standard. Incorporates some additions: a fuller explanation of various classes of independent variables; revised presentation of path analysis; expanded discussion of "Mortality and the limits of science." Acidic paper. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Biography

Kenneth Hoover is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Western Washington University. Recent books include THE FUTURE OF IDENTITY (2004), ECONOMICS AS IDEOLOGY ( 2003), and IDEOLOGY AND POLITICAL LIFE, 3rd Edition (2001) (with John Miles, Vernon Johnson, and Sara Weir.

Todd Donovan (Ph.D., University of California, Riverside) is a professor of political science at Western Washington University. He teaches state and local politics; American politics, parties, campaigns, and elections; comparative electoral systems; and introductory research methods and statistics. His research interests include direct democracy, election systems and representation, political behavior, subnational politics, and the political economy of local development. He has published extensively in academic journals; written a number of books on direct democracy, elections, institutions, and reform; and has received numerous grants and awards for his work. He is coauthor (with Christopher Z. Mooney and Daniel A. Smith) of STATE AND LOCAL POLITICS: INSTITUTIONS AND REFORM (©2009) and coauthor (with Ken Hoover) of THE ELEMENTS OF SOCIAL SCIENTIFIC THINKING, also published by Cengage Learning.