Transcript Chapter 2
What Do Sociologists Do? Chapter 2 What Is a Valid Sociological Topic? Any kind of human behaviour & social interaction Macro & micro level analyses The Difference Between “Common Sense” & Sociological Research Testing vs. assuming or guessing Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada 2-2 How Not to Do Research Choose a biased sample Ask biased questions List biased choices Discard undesirable results Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada 2-3 Six Research Methods Surveys Participant Observation Qualitative Interviews Secondary Analysis Documents Unobtrusive Measures Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada 2-4 Surveys Samples Population Random Samples Strategies for Asking Questions Questionnaires & interviews: • Self-administered • Structured interviews • Closed-ended questions Establishing Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada rapport 2-5 Participant Observation (Fieldwork) Participating in the research setting Observation & recording The problem of “generalizability” vs. rich specific description Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada 2-6 Qualitative Interviews ‘Structured conversation’ Interview schedule Feminist perspectives Highly descriptive analysis, but not always viewed as objective by more conventional researchers Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada 2-7 Secondary Analysis Analyze data already collected by others Data Liberation Initiative Excellent source of information, but one can not be sure of how systematically the original data were gathered Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada 2-8 Documents Examine books, newspapers, diaries, bank records, police reports, household accounts, immigration files, etc. Usually best to utilize multiple sources or types of sources Access to source material can pose a problem Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada 2-9 Unobtrusive Methods Subjects do not know they are being or the things they leave behind will be studied Trash Graffiti Graveyards Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada 2-10 Deciding Which Method to Use Quantitative Research Methods Measurement, numbers, statistics Structured questionnaires or surveys Qualitative Research Methods Observation, description, & interpretation Participant observation or qualitative interviews Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada 2-11 Deciding Which Method to Use Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada 2-12 A Research Model: Eight Basic Steps 1. 2. 3. 4. Selecting a Topic Defining the Problem Reviewing the Literature Formulating a Hypothesis or Research Question • Hypothesis • Variables • Operational definitions Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada 2-13 A Research Model: Eight Basic Steps (continued) 5. 6. 7. 8. Choosing a Research Method Collecting the Data 1. Validity 2. Reliability Analyzing the Results Sharing the Results Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada 2-14 The Research Model Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada 2-15 Ethics in Sociological Research Three Cases The Brajuha Research (1986) • Arson & an ethical double bind The Scarce Research (1991) • Animal Liberation Front & confidentiality The Humphreys Research (1970, 1971, 1975) • Tearoom Trade & sociological snooping Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada 2-16 How Research & Theory Work Together Interdependent Theory stimulates research Research stimulates the development of theory Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada 2-17