A sociological understanding of social problems‎.‎ Social Problems‎:‎ A Down to Earth Approach‎,‎ 11/e is a theoretically balanced text that provides the latest research and a consistent structure to help students analyze critical social problems facing the United States‎.‎ The author presents both sides of an argument with a neutral voice and uses a "down‎-to‎-earth" writing style‎.‎ By using this text‎,‎ not only do students gain a sociological understanding of social problems‎,‎ but also they are able to explore and evaluate their own opinions about specific social problems‎.‎ They will gain a greater awareness of the social forces that shape their orientations to social problems and their perspectives on social life‎.‎ The ideas in this book penetrate students‎'‎ thinking and help give shape to their views of the world‎.‎ MySocLab for Social Problems features an engaging student experience including an interactive eText‎,‎ the New Core Concepts Video Series‎,‎ the New Social Explorer‎.‎ Teaching & Learning Experience *Personalize Learning ‎- MySocLab is an online homework‎,‎ tutorial‎,‎ and assessment program‎.‎ It helps students prepare for class and instructor gauge individual and class performance‎.‎ *Improve Critical Thinking ‎- Thinking Critically About the Chapter ‎- At the end of each chapter are several questions designed to help students evaluate what they have read‎.‎ These questions also lend themselves well for stimulating class discussions‎.‎ *Engage Students ‎-Opening Vignette ‎- Intended to arouse student interest in the social problem and to stimulate the desire to read more‎,‎ this brief opening story presents essential elements of the social problem‎.‎ *Explore Research ‎-Spotlight on Research boxes ‎- Major researchers in social problems share an insider‎'‎s perspective of how they became interested in a social problem and how they did their research *Explore Theory ‎- The three basic theories ‎- Symbolic interaction theory‎,‎ functional theory‎,‎ and conflict theory‎- are introduced early in the text‎;‎ giving students the opportunity t immediately grasp the differences of these theories‎.‎ *Support Instructors ‎- MySocLab‎,‎ Instructor‎'‎s eText‎,‎ Instructor‎'‎s Manual‎,‎ Test Item File‎,‎ Electronic "MyTest" Test Bank‎,‎ PowerPoint Presentation Slides‎,‎ and Pearson Custom course material are available‎.‎