This book is intended to serve several needs. First (and perhaps foremost), it is
supposed to be an introduction to mathematical principles for incoming social
science graduate students. For this reason, there is a large set of examples
(83 of them, at last count) drawn from various literatures including sociology,
political science, anthropology, psychology, public policy, communications,
and geography. Almost no example is produced from “hypothetical data.”
This approach is intended not only to motivate specific mathematical principles
and practices, but also to introduce the way that social science researchers use
these tools. With this approach the topics presumably retain needed relevance.