Description
Social scientists become experts in their own disciplines but aren't always familiar with what is going on in neighboring fields. To foster a deeper understanding of the interconnection of the social sciences, economists should know where historical data come from, sociologists should know how to think like economists, political scientists would benefit from understanding how models are tested in psychology, historians should learn how political processes are studied, psychologists should understand sociological theories, and so forth. This overview by prominent social scientists gives an accessible, non-technical sense of how quantitative research is done in different areas. Readers will find out about models and ways of thinking in economics, history, sociology, political science, and psychology, which in turn they can bring back to their own work.
In this book, prominent social scientists describe quantitative models in economics, history, sociology, political science, and psychology.
About the Author
Andrew Gelman is a Professor of Statistics and Political Science at Columbia University, New York. He received the Presidents' Award in 2003, which is awarded each year to the best statistician under forty. He has written about 200 research articles on statistical methods, teaching, and applications, and his books include Bayesian Data Analysis, Teaching Statistics: A Bag of Tricks, Applied Regression and Multilevel Models, and, most recently, Red State, Blue State, Rich State, Poor State: Why Americans Vote the Way They Do. He is the founding director of the Quantitative Methods in Social Sciences Program, an interdisciplinary program at Columbia University that bridges history, economics, sociology, political science, psychology, and statistics. Jeronimo Cortina is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Houston, where he was also the Resident Scholar at the Center for Mexican American Studies for 2007-8. He previously collaborated with the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute on its survey designs, implementation, and analysis and is currently collaborating with UNICEF on the implementation of surveys, after completing his MPA and PhD at Columbia University, New York.
Reviews
'A marvellous sampler of quantitative approaches to social science across a range of disciplines. The authors forsake the dry and mechanical overviews that typify introductory texts in favour of focused forays into specific problems, deemed representative of their discipline's theoretical and empirical output. These engrossing stories of research make the volume a lively and informative read.' John Gerring, author of Social Science Methodology and Case Study Research: Principles and Practices
'Andrew Gelman and Jeronimo Cortina have put together a unique and important volume covering empirical approaches across the dominant social sciences. Where else would one get detailed advice about specifying, fitting and analyzing quantitative models specifically tailored to five fields written by leaders in those fields? Rather than looking for the lowest-common-factor that relates these areas, the enclosed essays highlight the specialty and diversity of academic social sciences while remaining accessible to students regardless of their individual background. Bracketed by two theoretical discussions, this work provides a stunningly creative approach to broad social science education.' Jeff Gill, Director of the Center for Applied Statistics, Washington University
'A Quantitative Tour of the Social Sciences provides an impressive overview of the uses of statistics throughout the social sciences, from psychology to economics, from sociology to political science. The collection of essays is highly accessible and provides excellent examples of statistical methods in the study of human behavior and society.' Steve Ansolabehere, Professor of Government, Harvard University
'Despite the commonalities in the questions they seek to answer, researchers in different social sciences tend to use very different methods, often embarrassingly ignorant of what their colleagues in other fields are doing. Based partly on a lecture course at Columbia University designed to remedy this, the Gelman and Cortina collection provides a lucid and readable introduction to the methodological approaches in the different social sciences. Reading this will help empirical researchers in all social sciences broaden their understanding of quantitative methods, and help them choose their methods on the merits, rather that on the basis of what is fashionable in their own field.' Guido W. Imbens, Professor of Economics, Harvard University
Book Information
ISBN 9780521680035
Author Andrew Gelman
Format Paperback
Page Count 366
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Weight(grams) 540g
Dimensions(mm) 231mm * 152mm * 23mm
In this book, prominent social scientists describe quantitative models in economics, history, sociology, political science, and psychology.
About the Author
Andrew Gelman is a Professor of Statistics and Political Science at Columbia University, New York. He received the Presidents' Award in 2003, which is awarded each year to the best statistician under forty. He has written about 200 research articles on statistical methods, teaching, and applications, and his books include Bayesian Data Analysis, Teaching Statistics: A Bag of Tricks, Applied Regression and Multilevel Models, and, most recently, Red State, Blue State, Rich State, Poor State: Why Americans Vote the Way They Do. He is the founding director of the Quantitative Methods in Social Sciences Program, an interdisciplinary program at Columbia University that bridges history, economics, sociology, political science, psychology, and statistics. Jeronimo Cortina is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Houston, where he was also the Resident Scholar at the Center for Mexican American Studies for 2007-8. He previously collaborated with the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute on its survey designs, implementation, and analysis and is currently collaborating with UNICEF on the implementation of surveys, after completing his MPA and PhD at Columbia University, New York.
Reviews
'A marvellous sampler of quantitative approaches to social science across a range of disciplines. The authors forsake the dry and mechanical overviews that typify introductory texts in favour of focused forays into specific problems, deemed representative of their discipline's theoretical and empirical output. These engrossing stories of research make the volume a lively and informative read.' John Gerring, author of Social Science Methodology and Case Study Research: Principles and Practices
'Andrew Gelman and Jeronimo Cortina have put together a unique and important volume covering empirical approaches across the dominant social sciences. Where else would one get detailed advice about specifying, fitting and analyzing quantitative models specifically tailored to five fields written by leaders in those fields? Rather than looking for the lowest-common-factor that relates these areas, the enclosed essays highlight the specialty and diversity of academic social sciences while remaining accessible to students regardless of their individual background. Bracketed by two theoretical discussions, this work provides a stunningly creative approach to broad social science education.' Jeff Gill, Director of the Center for Applied Statistics, Washington University
'A Quantitative Tour of the Social Sciences provides an impressive overview of the uses of statistics throughout the social sciences, from psychology to economics, from sociology to political science. The collection of essays is highly accessible and provides excellent examples of statistical methods in the study of human behavior and society.' Steve Ansolabehere, Professor of Government, Harvard University
'Despite the commonalities in the questions they seek to answer, researchers in different social sciences tend to use very different methods, often embarrassingly ignorant of what their colleagues in other fields are doing. Based partly on a lecture course at Columbia University designed to remedy this, the Gelman and Cortina collection provides a lucid and readable introduction to the methodological approaches in the different social sciences. Reading this will help empirical researchers in all social sciences broaden their understanding of quantitative methods, and help them choose their methods on the merits, rather that on the basis of what is fashionable in their own field.' Guido W. Imbens, Professor of Economics, Harvard University
Book Information
ISBN 9780521680035
Author Andrew Gelman
Format Paperback
Page Count 366
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Weight(grams) 540g
Dimensions(mm) 231mm * 152mm * 23mm
