Sociological Research Methods

1. Sociological Research Methods • There are five different research methods: • Experiments • Surveys • Secondary Analysis of existing data • Field Research • Feminist Research

2. Experiments • An experiment is a carefully designed situation in which the researcher studies the impact of certain variables on subjects’ attitudes or behaviour. • They’re designed to simulate real-life under controlled circumstances.

3. Experiments There are 3 different types of experiments: • Laboratory experiment – subjects are studied in a closed setting (eg. an animal’s cage, an enclosed room) 2) Natural experiment – real-life occurrences that create a “living laboratory” (eg. floods, hurricanes) 3) Field experiment – a staged event in a natural setting

4. Experiments There are strengths / advantages attributed to experiments: • The researcher has control over the experiment - they are an excellent way to test cause-and-effect relationships • Experiments do not take up a lot of time or money 3) Experiments are easily replicated

5. Experiments There are also weaknesses attributed to experiments: • They are artificial - participants know they are being monitored and may not react realistically -this is known as the problem of reactivity • They frequently rely on volunteers - results may not be representative • They are limited in scope

6. Surveys In a survey, a number of respondents are asked identical questions through a systematic questionnaire or interview. • Respondents are persons who provide data for analysis through interviews or questionnaires. • Surveys are an important research method because they make it possible to study things that are not directly observable (eg. people’s attitudes, beliefs, etc.), and to describe a population too large to observe directly.

7. Surveys There are three different types of survey: • Self-administered questionnaire • Personal interview • Telephone survey

8. Surveys A questionnaire is a research instrument containing a series of items (or questions) to which subjects respond.

9. Surveys There are strengths / advantages attributed to questionnaires: • They are relatively simple and inexpensive to administer • They allow respondents to remain anonymous 3) Describe large groups of people without interviewing each person

10. Surveys Disadvantage attributed to questionnaires: • They have a very low response rate • Mailed surveys sometimes have a response rate as low as 10%, and a 50% response rate is considered by some to be minimally adequate

11. Surveys An interview is a data collection encounter in which an interviewer asks the respondent questions and records the answers. The advantages of interviews include: • They are more effective in dealing with complicated issues (because they give an opportunity for face-to-face contact) • The research can get new perspectives through open-ended questions

12. Surveys The advantages of interviews include: • They are more effective in dealing with complicated issues (because they give an opportunity for face-to-face contact) • The research can get new perspectives through open-ended questions The disadvantage? • Interviews are very costly and time-consuming

13. Surveys Telephone interviews have been increasingly popular lately. It is believed that this is because: • They save time and money (compared to face-to-face) • Respondents tend to be more honest • They ensure greater control over data collection and interviewer safety • They have higher response rates than mail-out questionnaires

14. Surveys Sampling is an important aspect of surveying. • The population consists of those persons about whom we want to be able to draw conclusions (eg. the total CPA student population = 1087)

15. Surveys • A sample is the group of people who are selected from the population to be studied. (eg. 100 CPA athletes) • A representative sample is a selection from a larger population that has the essential characteristics of the total population. (eg. 100 CPA athletes – 50 guys, 50 girls)

16. Surveys • A random sample is chosen by chance: every member of an entire population being studied has the same chance of being selected. (eg. 100 CPA students chosen at random)

17. Surveys The advantages of surveys include: • They are useful in describing a large population without interviewing each person • Large samples are possible The disadvantages? • Standardized questions tend to “box” answers • Surveys bring up questions of validity

18. Feminist Research Methods Feminist research seeks to remove male biases from sociological research: • Sexist language / concepts • Overgeneralizations • Other “androcentric” tendencies, etc.

19. Feminist Research Methods Feminist research seeks to: • Understand women’s experiences and address women’s live on their own terms • It should be woman-centred • Provide explanations of women’s lives that are useful / helpful to women • Challenge the idea that researchers should be “value-free”

20. Ethical Research Read p. 61-62 and answer the following questions: • What is required in order for sociological research to be considered “ethical”? 2) What is “informed consent”? 3) When is anonymity a particularly important aspect of sociological research?