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Sociology: Research Methods. Common Sense and the Need for Research What Everyone Knows May Not Be True Move Beyond Guesswork. A Research Model. Selecting a Topic Defining a Problem Reviewing the Literature Formulating a Hypothesis. A Research Model. Choosing a Research Method
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Sociology: Research Methods Common Sense and the Need for Research • What Everyone Knows May Not Be True • Move Beyond Guesswork
A Research Model • Selecting a Topic • Defining a Problem • Reviewing the Literature • Formulating a Hypothesis
A Research Model • Choosing a Research Method • Collecting Data • Analyzing Results • Sharing Results
Methods for Research • Surveys-series of questions • Selecting a Sample- a group of people that represents a population 1. Random Sample-chance selection 2. Stratified Random Sample Asking Neutral Questions with a closed end response Asking Open-ended Questions with persons own words
Research Methods continued • Questionnaires • Self-Administered • Allow the Largest Sample • Low Cost • Loss of Researcher Control
Research Methods-Field Research • Participant Observation (Fieldwork) • Researcher Participates • Problems with Generalizability • Done for Exploratory Work • Generates Hypotheses
Example of Participant Observation • Concealing her identity, researcher takes a temporary job at a high school with low funding. • Goal: to observe a link between school violence and school funding
Research Methods continued • Secondary Analysis • Analyze Data Collected by Others such as Durkheim’s suicide study of 1897 • Researcher Cannot Be Sure of Data Quality
Research Methods continued • Documents • Examine Books, Newspapers, Diaries, etc. • Limited Scope • Cannot Study Topic Unless Access is Granted
Research Methods • Experiments • Experimental Group- • Control Group • Independent Variables-causes something to occur, change or look for changes in this • Dependent Variables-What results from the change in the independent variable
Example of Variable • Independent Variable-Time spent studying… • Dependent Variable: Better grades
How do variables differ? • Quantitative & Qualitative Variables • Quantitative Variable-a variable that can be measured, given a number • Qualitative Variable-membership in category such as marital status, sex, membership in groups such as Catholic, Sophmore/Senior, Cheerleader, Football player
Research Methods • Unobtrusive Measures • Observe People Without Them Knowing • Question of Ethics-is it morally right or wrong
Deciding Which Method to Use • Available Resources • Access to Subjects • Purpose of Research • Researcher’s Background and Training
Gender in Sociological Research • Affects Orientation and Attitudes • Interviewer Bias • Women and Men Lead Different Lives • In Past, Women’s Experiences Neglected
Ethics in Sociological Research • Protecting Subjects: The Brajuha Research Protected the rights of subjects from court subpoena of his research