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The Research Process
• Sociologists answer questions about society through empirical research (observation and experiments)
• Collect data in objective, logical, systematic way (scientific method)
Step 1: Define the Problem
• Researchers selects a topic of study and develops operational definitions of key concepts
Step 2: Review the Literature
• Review existing literature on the subject to learn how others have approached the problem and what conclusions they have reached
Step 3: Form a Hypothesis
• Develop a testable hypothesis (prediction about the relationship between two or more variables) on the research topic– Independent variable- characteristic that
causes change in another variable– Dependent variable- characteristic changed
by the independent variable
Step 4: Choose a Research Design
• Develop a plan for collecting, analyzing, and evaluating data
• Four main types of sociological research methods:– Surveys– Analysis of Existing Sources– Observations Study– Experiment
Research Methods: Surveys
• Surveys allow collection of data on attitudes and opinions from a sample of people– Questionnaires- questions or statements that
people respond to in writing– Interviews- questions answered orally
Research Methods: Analysis of Existing Sources
• Analyze existing information to make own conclusions– Historical method- examination of past materials (artifacts,
written documents, etc.) to determine trends and changes– Content analysis- counting how many times a particular word,
phrase, idea, or symbol appears in a given context– Statistical analysis- analyzing
mathematical data to determine the strength of the relationship between variables, usually producing a statistical average (using mean, median, or mode)
Research Method: Observational Studies
• Observation of behavior of individuals or groups in actual social settings– Detached observation- observation from a
distance– Participant observation-
researchers directly involved
Research Method: Experiment
• Data gathered under controlled conditions in which one group exposed to the independent variable and the other is not (control group)
Step 6: Analyze the Data
• Objectively analyze data to determine correlations or causation between variables and whether the data supports the hypothesis– Correlation- a change in one variable is regularly
associated with a change in another– Causation- a change in one variable causes a change
in another
Step 7: Present Conclusions
• Present research findings to others so that everyone can better understand the issue and possibly so that the study can be replicated
Ethical Issues in Research
• Sociologists are expected to follow ethical standards of research for the welfare of the people with whom they work– Nondiscrimination- eliminate bias from study – Confidentiality- protect private information of subjects
and participants – Informed consent- participants informed of research
and agree to be part of it– Social responsibility- use of knowledge to contribute
to the public good