We have been asked this question exactly ten days after the Day of the Seven Wonders. Coincidence? I don’t think so. Readers, I believe this is part of the Grand Plan. A decision was taken to post this after 10 whole days exactly had passed after the Day of the Seven Wonders. The Day of the Seven Wonders, readers will recall, was 07/07/07, and was the date the Provider chose to provide us the names of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Praise be to the Provider who profits from this. His profits are richly deserved, and His approach to sociological research unassailably scientific indeed!

For the title, may I suggest the tongue-in-cheek “The New Wonders of Empirical Social Science Research : Research Methods from the Trenches“?

Hat tip to lville at #2. I would suggest “Hairy Potters and Well-groomed Netizens” if this were not a serious request. Truly, I tell you – the End is Nigh.

A Method To The Madness:
Challenges and Opportunities in Social Science Research

Inquirers Want to Know:
The Promise and Perils of Social Science Research

How to Stop Worrying about Methods: The Social Scientist Guide to (Almost Irrefutable) Significant Results

since methodology is by far the #1 criticism of any research, regardless of whether you have any substantive knowledge about the topic.

This from the experience of a grad student watching professors and senior grad students give would-be assistant professors hell during job interviews. When all else fails to unnerve the would-be candidate, attacking the methodology always works.

I’d totally get the book!

Maybe slightly boring, but it’s the simplest way of saying what the book is about, and sounds appropriately ambitious. And you get points for not having a subtitle.

Trenches is ok, but nitty-gritty sounds very odd to me.

Ingrid, yes, I’m in touch with my editor. She thought it was a good idea to post about it here. I look forward to discussing the options with her.

It’s very interesting to see how many people have a problem with either trenches or nitty-gritty or both, while others are clearly supportive of it having left it in their suggestions. Yikes.

What research method textbooks don’t teach

or perhaps

What research method textbooks should teach

but I guess that’s too much on the popular tour…

Sometimes the editors of the publishing company have great suggestions too – did s/he make any?

Empirical Methods of Social Science Research:
Views from the Trenches

Whatever you pick, be sure to tell us how to get a copy.