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Teaching Quantitative Methods
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Teaching Quantitative Methods
Getting the Basics Right

Edited by:


March 2011 | 200 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd
This exciting collection is both useful and timely. It clearly lays out the problems, strategies and resources associated with the teaching of quantitative methods in modern universities.

Addressing the perceived 'crisis of number' in a practical and fresh way the book sets out dynamic new approaches to teaching quantitative methods. It offers historical, comparative, analytical reflection and empirical evidence concerning the crisis in contemporary social sciences.

Experts from across the social sciences provide a wide range of authoritative insights as well as a number of useful illustrations of strategies and resources designed to help overcome this 'crisis of number'. Each chapter reflects the diversity of backgrounds and approaches within the social sciences making this an interdisciplinary, relevant addition to the subject.

The book also:

o focuses on innovations in how to teach quantitative research methods

o reports on the latest ESRC research projects on teaching quantitative methods

o locates itself within current debates about skills for employment.

Clear, engaging and original this book will be essential reading for those interested in learning and teaching quantitative methods.

Geoff Payne and Malcolm Williams
Preface
Geoff Payne and Malcolm Williams
Introduction: The 'Crisis of Number'
Informed Citizens, Competent Social Scientists

 
Geoff Payne
Mapping the Academic Landscape of Quantitative Methods
Jonathan Parker
Best Practices in Quantitative Methods Teaching
Comparing Social Science Curricula Across Countries

 
Martin Bulmer
The Place of Quantification in the Professional Training of Sociologists
Some Career Reflections

 
Malcolm Williams and Carole Sutton
Challenges and Opportunities for Developing Teaching in Quantitative Methods
Katharine Adeney and Sean Carey
How to Teach the Reluctant and Terrified to Love Statistics
The Importance of Context in Teaching Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences

 
Jane Falkingham and Teresa McGowan
Improving the Teaching of Quantitative Methods to Undergraduate Social Scientists
Understanding and Overcoming the Barriers

 
Jo Wathan, Mark Brown and Lee Williamson
Increasing Secondary Analysis in Undergraduate Dissertations
A Pilot Project

 
Rebecca Taylor and Angela Scott
Mathematics for Economics
Enhancing Teaching and Learning

 
Jackie Carter
Jorum
A National Service for Learning and Teaching

 
Matthew David
The Problem, Strategies and Resources in Teaching Quantitative Methods
The Way forward

 

This is a balanced plea for improving the way we teach social science methods and makes a compelling case for addressing the crisis in quantitative skills and reasoning in contemporary social science education. It does not seek to privilege quantitative social science but argues that the loss of quantitative competence is undermining the capacity to develop a mixed methods approach to social enquiry. I particularly value the emphasis on quantitative and systematic reasoning that are part and parcel of parcel of a quantitative approach. But this collection does more than make the case. It also provides evidence based approaches to improving the way we teach quantitative social science. This collection is timely and will equip those charged with the task of teaching quantitative methods to delive

David de Vaus
Faculty of Social & Behavioural Sciences, The University of Queensland


This book ought to be required reading, not only for those who teach quantitative methods, for whom it will be an invaluable resource, but for anyone concerned with the development of the undergraduate curriculum in university social science. Payne and Williams not only make an unanswerable case that current approaches to quantitative methods teaching are quite inadequate, they show clearly how it can, and must, be done better. They place a welcome emphasis on the 'basics'. The challenge is to ensure students have a solid command of the fundamentals of quantitative methods, so that they are not cut off from the vast and growing areas of social science knowledge that uses them. This book is not another instruction manual setting out what should be taught and how. It is much richer than that. It provides a lucid analysis, superbly well informed by the long experience of an impressive collection of practitioners, of what has gone wrong and how it can be put right. It is a book full of insight that teachers will want to consult again and again when thinking about how best to 'get the basics right

John Macinnes
Professor and Head of Sociology, University of Edinburgh and ESRC Strategic Advisor on undergraduate quantitative methods teaching


There is much talk and often hype nowadays about the crisis in quantitative research methods in British social science. It is time for a clear-thinking discussion of the underlying issues and how best to address them through teaching in this area. Payne and Williams's book represents a highly significant contribution to such a debate and should be essential reading for all of us who have taught quantitative research methods

Alan Bryman
Professor of Organisational and Social Research, University of Leicester


The volume at hand - Teaching Quantitative Methods; Getting the Basics Right, edited by Geoff Payne and Malcolm Williams - is a systematic and reflective answer to the so-called 'problem of numeracy' that is negatively affecting the global reach of British social sciences. The 11 chapters of the book, including the introduction written by the editors, are justified by the recognition of difficulties faced by British social science undergraduate programs to equip their students with adequate skills in quantitative research methods and hence discuss the significance of this context as well as solutions to it.

Adrian Hatos
Journal of Social Research and Policy



Very useful book on quantitative methods pedagogy. It provides us with helpful guidance to review our QM curriculum contents and pedagogical approaches.

Dr Wei Zhang
School of Education, University of Leicester
October 12, 2015

I have not adopted this book as it is directed more at academics than students. Nonetheless I found it a very helpful book with regard to developing my own understanding of teaching quantitative research methods to students.

Dr David Preece
School of Education, Northampton University
September 27, 2014

This is an exceptionally useful textbook for the lecturer and provides some excellent tips for assisting students who struggle with particular aspects of quantitative analysis. However, it has limited use for students themselves and thus will not be on our reading list for them.

Dr Jim Clack
Department of Primary Education, Bedfordshire University
May 13, 2014

Very good read, with lots of key elements we are looking to involve within the course

Mr Stuart Priestley
Sport, Myerscough College
February 5, 2014

This book is essential for research methods and especially quantitative research teaching of undergraduate social science student

Dr Marina Shapira
school of applied, Stirling University
January 10, 2014

An excellent text for use in postgraduate education programmes to enable students to grapple not just with approaches to teaching quantitative research and statistics but to the embedding of numeracy in curricula more generally.

Dr Clive Hedges
Department of Education, University of Teesside
October 14, 2013

Adopted as an essential reading source

Dr Mario Moya
School of Education, Bedfordshire University
July 9, 2013

The book has been very helpful in applying new methods of teaching quantitative techniques in planning. It has also been helpful during our department's recent attempt to the revision of its undergraduate and graduate curriculum.

Dr Guldem Ozatagan
department of city , Izmir Institute of Technology
April 10, 2013

more interesting for teachers and lecturers

Professor Armin Schneider
Social Work , Koblenz Univerity of Applied Sciences
January 10, 2013

Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapter 1


For instructors

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