Participatory modeling (PM) is an engaged research methodology for creating analog or computer-based models of complex systems, such as socio-environmental systems. Used across a range of fields, PM centers stakeholder knowledge and participation to create more internally valid models that can inform policy and increase engagement and trust…

When undertaking quantitative hypothesis testing, social researchers need to decide whether the data with which they are working is suitable for parametric analyses to be used. When considering the relevant assumptions they can examine graphs and summary statistics but the decision making process is subjective and must also take into account the…

Researchers regularly deal with ethical considerations when writing up their research. However, such considerations are rarely addressed in existing research ethics literature. Here, the focus tends to be on ethical considerations that arise in relation to research proposals and "protocols," that is, during the "process" of…

Over the past few years, the growth of Internet and web services has produced a large amount of web data. A majority of them is in the form of text such as social media messages and online news articles. Web text data presents tremendous opportunity for business and social science research. It can provide critical intelligence to company…

Choosing the most appropriate method to handle missing data during analyses is one of the most challenging decisions confronting researchers. Often, missing values are just ignored rather than replaced with a reliable imputation method. Six methods of data imputation were used to replace missing data from two data sets of varying sizes; this…

This paper explores various aspects of voting behavior among nearly 900 British Columbia voters in the 1979 Canadian federal election. Specifically, the paper examines the aggregate significance of strategic choice in a voting situation and identifies factors which increase or decrease an individual's disposition to act strategically. Strategic…

Discusses the relationship between reduction in financial resource levels and changes in patterns of organizational decision making at five state universities. Findings indicate that the retrenchment caused by financial stringency has been accompanied by increased uncertainty among university personnel. Additional research using a larger data base…

Describes a modified values auction simulation game, reports on three levels of analysis employing actual classroom data (group, subgroup, and individual), and offers suggestions for utilizing values data in social research. (CMV)

Relates trends in the social sciences to social change and explains how the impact of social sciences on the content of general education is almost certain to be of increasing importance. Concludes that effective social science learning experiences should explode myths and focus on realities, emphasize that there are alternative solutions to…

The paper reports on a research study investigating the attitudinal and content retention effects of a proposed values/moral education model. The research focuses on four components: 1) appropriate research designs consistent with the model used, 2) appropriate, reliable, and valid posttest attitude tests consistent with the expressed goals and…

The Multi-Ethnic School Environments Study evolved in response to the need for a research base for identifying teacher training needs in newly desegregated school districts. The ultimate goal of this five year project is to generate teacher training processes and materials to aid teachers in coping with the realities of desegregation. The first…

The influence of social science research on educational policy, particularly since the 1954 Brown vs Board of Education decision, has been significant. The paper presents an historical overview of the judicial use of social science data. Three questions are investigated: to what extent has social science influenced judicial decision-making? what…

Anthropology research should be relevant to public policy formation. If anthropologists continue to produce research which reflects a "detached observer" perspective, their studies will not enjoy widespread credibility. The use of policy-relevant anthropology (applied anthropology) will depend in large part on the efforts of anthropologists toward…

The research investigated the relationship of a person's sex to his or her public policy preferences, with particular regard to women's issues. Women's issues are reflected in public policy which directly affects women's lives. Examples are day care facilities, sex bias of educational materials, and abortion facilities. The study was conducted to…