Thinking as Researchers Innovative Research Methodology Content and Methods

Book excerpt: This book is appropriate for undergraduate and graduate research methods courses as well as for instructors, academicians, social researchers, social workers and community development planners. The book aims to give a brief summary about the critical thinking and innovative research methods which are crucial in academic's promotion and knowledge building. Social Research Methods is one of the most important courses in the educational curriculum that adequately support students and researchers acquire the competencies they need to deal with complex data and new analytical tools. World is changing and accordingly, there are changing in the nature of data (for instance, big data, analytics etc.), and the complexity of the environment. University' instructors have to incorporate research in the undergraduate curriculum to allow the students to gain the knowledge and skills to learn the research process, not to conduct it per se, but, rather to use the research to bridge the gap between knowledge and critical decision-making.