The textbook emphasizes the critical interpretation and practical application of research findings, and covers many cutting-edge issues and methods including:

• a more in-depth, contemporary focus on causation the logic and use of control variables with non-experimental data


• the use of visual path diagrams to better understand both causation and the use of control variables


• a fuller, more innovative treatment of quasi and natural experiments


• a focus on data collection for performance measurement


• a discussion of cutting-edge issues in sampling and survey research


• an integrated treatment of qualitative methods that appears throughout the book and emphasizes the integration of qualitative with quantitative methods.