"In writing style alone, this [text] is head and shoulders above its competition. I find myself drawn into reading more and more of this book."--Jon E. Iannitti, SUNY Morrisville College
"This text takes one step further than most introductory sociology textbooks by challenging the status quo. More importantly, it does so in plain English."--Michelle Newton, Averett College
"The humor in the book is refreshing. The theory section is one of the most timely that I have seen in many texts. Also, the research methods section is one of the clearest I have ever read."--Mark A. Winton, University of Central Florida
"In writing style alone, this [text] is head and shoulders above its competition. I find myself drawn into reading more and more of this book."--Jon E. Iannitti, SUNY Morrisville College
"This text takes one step further than most introductory sociology textbooks by challenging the status quo. More importantly, it does so in plain English."--Michelle Newton, Averett College
"The humor in the book is refreshing. The theory section is one of the most timely that I have seen in many texts. Also, the research methods section is one of the clearest I have ever read."--Mark A. Winton, University of Central Florida
"In writing style alone, this [text] is head and shoulders above its competition. I find myself drawn into reading more and more of this book."--Jon E. Iannitti, SUNY Morrisville College
"This text takes one step further than most introductory sociology textbooks by challenging the status quo. More importantly, it does so in plain English."--Michelle Newton, Averett College
"The humor in the book is refreshing. The theory section is one of the most timely that I have seen in many texts. Also, the research methods section is one of the clearest I have ever read."--Mark A. Winton, University of Central Florida
"In writing style alone, this [text] is head and shoulders above its competition. I find myself drawn into reading more and more of this book."--Jon E. Iannitti, SUNY Morrisville College
"This text takes one step further than most introductory sociology textbooks by challenging the status quo. More importantly, it does so in plain English."--Michelle Newton,
Averett College"The humor in the book is refreshing. The theory section is one of the most timely that I have seen in many texts. Also, the research methods section is one of the clearest I have ever read."--Mark A. Winton,
University of Central Florida
Beth Hess, Peter Stein, and Susan Farrell's "The Essential Sociologist: An Introduction" is an introductory text that combines sound pedagogy with the latest developments in sociological research and current orientations in the field of sociology. The major features include: Readability - Hess et al have developed a highly readable text with a fresh, informal writing style that will engage and sustain student interest with its student-friendly tone. Coverage of race, class, and gender integrated throughout the text. Every chapter analyzes similarities and differences generated by issues of gender, race, and social class in the United States and globally as well as their impact on all aspects of social life; A global outlook - this book offers rich comparative material for exploring the social diversity of the world - from small, traditional societies to large, developing, and industrialized societies; Empirical coverage - it features the latest research findings in sociology from the leading sociology journals and the latest statistical data available. The text helps students learn how to do research and interpret what the research shows.
It also includes: Theoretical coverage - it focuses on the three major theoretical frameworks while also including new directions in social theory, such as humanist sociology, feminist sociology, rational choice theory, and postmodern thought. It offers other benefits to instructors and students. The text offers its own comprehensive Website. A free Student Resource Study Guide is downloadable from the Website. Additionally, 10-15 Websites are listed in the text for each of the 16 chapters. Many are interactive as well as scholarly and research oriented. These sites lead students to cutting-edge research in sociology as well as government sites packed with statistics and data on subjects in each chapter. Boxed case studies expand concepts and themes with the most recent research and up-to-date applications. Cross-referencing clearly links boxes to the text. Photo captions pose stimulating critical-thinking questions that integrate text and illustrations. A comprehensive Instructor's Manual/Testing Program, available on disk or as bound hard copy, is provided.