APPLIED RESEARCH METHODS IN URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING

Book Details:

• ISBN: 9783031778643

• Author: Yanmei Li, Sumei Zhang

• Publisher: Rawat Publications

• Binding: Hardback

• Number of Pages: 375

• Publication Year: 2025

• Sale Territory: India Only

About the Book
This book introduces the fundamentals of research methods and their application to urban and regional planning. Written for upper-level undergraduate and beginning master’s students, it fills a gap in the literature for textbooks on urban planning. It is also useful as a reference for planning practitioners and researchers analyzing quantitative and qualitative data in urban planning and related fields.

The book does not assume prior knowledge of advanced mathematical formulas. It covers the essentials of research methods, including identifying research problems in planning, literature review, data collection and presentation, descriptive data analysis, and reporting findings. The volume includes discipline-specific topics like field research methods, qualitative data analysis, economic and demographic analysis, and evaluation research. It also addresses sub-disciplines such as land use planning, transportation planning, environmental planning, and housing analysis.

Designed for instruction, the book includes downloadable materials such as learning outcomes, chapter highlights, review questions, datasets, and certain Excel models. These resources enable students to enhance their learning and practice methods through data analysis.

Contents

1. Research Methods and the Planning Process

2. Identifying the Research Problem

3. Research Design

4. Data Collection

5. Data Presentation

6. Communicating the Research Findings

7. Statistical Analysis

8. Qualitative Data Analysis

9. Demographic Analysis

10. Analyzing the Local Economy

11. Evaluation Research

12. Urban Land Use Analysis

13. Transportation Planning Analysis

14. Environmental Analysis

15. Housing Analysis

About the Author / Editor
Yanmei Li is an associate professor in Urban and Regional Planning at Florida Atlantic University. Her research focuses on urban economics, housing and community development, and real estate economics and finance, with a particular interest in residential satisfaction, social capital, affordable housing policies, and housing programs for people with special needs. She is a certified member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) and has contributed to community planning processes, serving on advisory committees and leadership roles in academic and professional organizations.

Sumei Zhang is an associate professor in the Department of Urban & Public Affairs at the University of Louisville. Her research interests include regional economics, spatial statistics, mathematical modeling, and geographical information systems, with a focus on applications in planning. Dr. Zhang’s work has been published in regional science, planning, and economic journals, and she has presented at numerous conferences. Her recent research activities focus on economic program evaluation and urban sustainability.