Understanding Research
Web Center for Social Research Methods
This website is for people involved in applied social research and evaluation. You'll find lots of resources and links to other locations on the Web that deal in applied social research methods. You will find an online hypertext textbook on applied social research methods, an online statistical advisor, a resource guide for learning about structured conceptual mapping, a simulation book of manual (i.e., dice-rolling) and computer simulation exercises of common research designs, and more.
Web Center for Social Research Methods
How to Read a Research Article, Rachel Dunifon, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Policy Analysis and Management, Cornell University
The goal of this Research Brief is to provide information
that will make reading a research article more illuminating.
It is hoped that, by the end of this brief, you will be able to understand and critique a research article.
How to Read a Research Article (97.6 KB)
Resources for Doing Web-Based Research, Rachel Dunifon, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Policy Analysis and Management, Cornell University and Laura Colosi, Extension Associate, Policy Analysis and Management, Cornell University
When looking for research on a given topic, there are
several sources to which you may turn. For example, you
may find research in an academic journal, such as Journal
of Marriage and Family. On the other hand, you may
find research published on a website, such as the Urban
Institute (www.urban.org). Each source of information has
pros and cons.
Resources For Web Based Research (92.5 KB)
What’s the Difference? “Post then Pre” & “Pre then Post”, Laura Colosi, Extension Associate, Policy Analysis and Management, Cornell University and Rachel Dunifon, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Policy Analysis and Management, Cornell University
The act of evaluating a program inevitably uncovers conflicting goals: the need for as much rigor in methods as possible while at the same time designing an evaluation that interrupts program delivery as little as possible. It is important to rely on rigorous evaluation design and methods to not only report the outcomes of a program most accurately, but also to lend as much credibility to the results as possible. On the other hand, it is important to take as little time as necessary in order to maintain program participants’ trust and comfort in the program setting (Griner-Hill and Betz 2005).
Evaluation Design (74.6 KB)
How to Use AgeLine: Online Demo & Related Resources
The resources listed here offer an introduction to using AARP's AgeLine Database for gerontology research and are useful to use before preparing term papers, presentations, and literature searches.
www.aarp.org/research/ageline/gero.html
Journals on Aging
This directory introduces newcomers to the field of geriatrics/gerontology with the periodical literature available on aging and health care. It also aims to assist researchers and academics from various disciplines in selecting appropriate journals as they seek to publish their work.
Journals on Aging website