Transcript Sociology
Sociology Research methods Starter • Look at the picture below. What are some questions a sociologist would ask while interpreting this picture? http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2012/08/27/pkg-damon-child-fighter-onsyria-lebanon-border.cnn?iref=videosearch What did we talk about yesterday? Guess Who? – Round 2 Fact: Believed the structure of society intertwines with economic structure. Sociologist: Karl Marx Guess Who? – Round 2 Fact: Coined the term ‘function’ for the interrelated parts of society. Sociologist: Emile Durkheim Guess Who?- Round 2 Fact: Influenced heavily by Charles Darwin. Sociologist: Herbert Spencer Guess Who?- Round 2 Fact: Conceptualized social statics and social dynamics Sociologist: Auguste Comte Guess Who?- Round 2 Fact: Conceptualized the ‘ideal type’ as a key feature of societies. Sociologist: Max Weber How do sociologists gather info? Through ‘social research’ Social research • Sociologists usually study the structure and function of various features in society. • Also interested in behaviors- their frequency in a given situation, and how groups of similar individuals act in a given circumstance. • It is usually a topic a sociologist is interested in that they conduct their research on. Causation and Correlation - Causation= the causes behind an event. - Sociologists examine cause and effect by looking at the variables, or characteristics, involved. - Sociologists must also determine whether or not there is a correlation between two variables. - Correlation= a change in one variable regularly associates with a change in another variable. Remember… Correlation does not equal causation!!!! Example: A rise in ice cream sales leads to a rise in drowning victims. The Research Process 1) Define the problem select a problem and clearly state what you want to study. 2) Review the Literature see what else is out there; you don’t have to come up with a completely new topic. 3) Form a Hypothesis it should be testable - hypothesis= statement predicting the relationship between two variables. Research Process (cont’d) 4) Choose a Research Design how are you going to collect data, and then analyze it? 5) Collect the Data can vary in amount of time; make sure to record everything! 6) Analyze the Data does the data that you collected support your research hypothesis? 7) Presenting Conclusions draw the conclusion and present your findings to others . By sharing your findings, you are adding to the body of sociological knowledge. Research Methods 1) Survey Method questionnaires, interviews. 2) Experiments 3) Observational studies 4) Analysis of existing sources - Historical method - Content Analysis Existing Sources • Historical Method Use of an existing source to gather information; often used to discover trends from the past. ***DOES NOT HAVE TO BE WRITTEN*** • Content Analysis Used for recorded information; count the umber of times something appears in a dialogue. - Computers have improved the ease of this greatly. Analyzing data • Once you have gathered your data, it is important to analyze it in a meaningful way to draw the best conclusions. • If data is not analyzed correctly, or if there is incorrect data, it could lead to inaccurate results. http://i962.photobucket.com/albums/ae108/Emqtpi2 1/My%20Gifs%20to%20Me/tumblr_lku3a7EN0v1qard53 o1_500.gif Terminology • Validity= the extent to which a measurement procedure is capable of measuring what it is supposed to measure. • Reliability= the capability of a method to produce the same results over a period of time. • Applicability= can the results be applied to your hypothesis? • Bias= prejudice for or against. Ethics • American Sociological Association’s Code of Ethics p. R2 in book. • 5 Principles that guide: 1) Professional Competence 2) Integrity 3) Professional and Scientific Responsibility 4) Respect for People’s Rights, Dignity and Diversity 5) Social responsibility • Guide sociologists as they conduct research- the ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’