NEW TO THIS EDITION: The book has been updated to reflect current research designs and the latest regulations regarding human subjects. Research examples throughout have been updated and are drawn more broadly from across the social science disciplines. A total of 23 new citations reflect the latest research and thinking in the field, on subjects such as mass incarceration in the U.S., sexual orientation and intersexuality, migrant workers in South Africa, slaughterhouse workers in the American South, and peasant societies in post-colonial Southeast Asia. KEY FEATURES: The book emphasizes that the three traditions of social research - qualitative research on commonalities, comparative research on diversity, and quantitative research on relationships among variables - are not rigid divisions to help students understand that research designs often blend aspects of each tradition in creative ways. The model of social research put forth is not as restrictive as the scientific method and encompasses social research ranging from research examining the complexities of everyday life to research investigating the power of transnational processes. The authors present complex ideas in a brief and easy-to-understand fashion.