Research should be interesting, not intimidating! Have you ever wondered how to determine the quality of the research reported in journal articles? This brief, introductory guide walks you, step by step, through the basics of reading and understanding a research article. The author demonstrates the many strengths of social research, including its advantages over ordinary ways of knowing things, and, at the same time, points out that research is inevitably flawed. Rather than naively assuming that good research simply produces "The Truth" or cynically asserting that research is hopelessly biased and futile, this book helps you develop a critical perspective-one that appreciates the strengths and weaknesses of any piece of scholarship.