Transcript Chapter 2

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Chapter 2
Sociologists Doing Research
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What is the goal of Sociological
Research?
To Test
common sense
assumptions
Replace
false ideas with
facts and evidence.
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What is the difference between
quantitative & qualitative data?
Quantitative
Uses
numerical
data
Most
published
type of data
Qualitative
Is
rooted in
narrative and
descriptive data
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Define the following vocab words:
Survey
Population
Sample
Representative
sample
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ID & define terms used when
dealing with survey information.
Types of Survey
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Questionnaire-> Written set of
questions to be answered by a
research participant
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Interview-> method where
trained person(s) asks
questions and records
answers.
*Which survey is better?
Types of Questions
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Closed ended-> questions a
person must answer by
choosing from a limited,
predetermined set of
responses.
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Open ended->questions a
person is to answer in his/her
own words.
*Which question types will go
with what survey?
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What is Secondary Analysis & how
is it used?
Definition
Using
precollected
data information
as a part of the
data collection
and research
purposes.
Uses
The
information
is generalized to
make it easier to
apply to the
research being
done.
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What government agencies
provide sources for Secondary
Analysis?
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Census Bureau
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Department of Labor
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Department of Commerce

Department of Education
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Department of Child Services (DCS)
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What is field research?
Research
that takes place in a
natural setting.
Field
research is a critical part of
sociological research.
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What is a case study? How is it
used?
Case Study
Intensive
study
of a single
group, incident
or community.
Uses
 Info
is generalized
and applied to
similar situations
 Researchers
should
pull findings
unique to situation
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Define participant observation, tell
how it is used, and give examples.
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Definition-> Case study where the researcher becomes a
member of the group being studied
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By having 1st hand knowledge the researcher has a better
understanding of the group or individual being studied
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Uses-> Can be used to study racism, sexism, crime, and/or
juvenile deviance.

Eg.-> going undercover, using a webcam to observe, and/or
following and observing
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Make a chart classifying Quantitative
and Qualitative methods.
*see also page 45
Quantitative
Qualitative
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Surveys
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Field Research

Interviews
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Case Studies
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Observations
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Questionnaires
Secondary Analysis
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What is causation?
Belief
that events occur in
predictable ways and that one
event leads to another.
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Define Multiple Causation & give
at least 3 examples.
Definition
Belief
that an
event occurs as a
result of several
factors working
in combination.
Examples
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Used in determining Criminal
Tendencies.
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Predicting chances of Alcohol
and Drug Abuse/Addiction.
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Determining if behaviors will
lead to Psychological
Disorders (Psychotic
Behavior/Schizophrenia/Sexua
lly Aggressive Behavior
+ Define variable, quantitative variable,
qualitative variable, independent variable,
dependent variable, & intervening variable.
 Variable->
characteristic that is subject to change
 Eg. Age/Education/Occupation
 Quantitative V.->
Characteristic that can be
measured numerically
 Eg. Age/weight/Height
 Qualitative V.->
Characteristic defined by
presence or absence in a category (Either/or,
Yes/No)
 Eg. Gender/Sex/Marital Status
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Define variable, quantitative variable,
qualitative variable, independent variable,
dependent variable, & intervening variable.
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Independent V-> Characteristic that causes something to
occur
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Dependent V.-> Characteristic that reflects a change
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This variable is acted on
Eg. That results in the change of the Independent variable
Intervening V.-> Variable that changes the relationships
between and independent & dependent variable
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Influences the relationship
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What is a Correlation?
 Measure
of the relationship between 2
variables.
 Eg.-
Hours of Study & Academic
Achievement
-Amount of Alcohol Consumed while
pregnant & and intelligence of baby
-Confidence and Hooking up
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Contrast
Positive and
Negative
Correlation
Negative
CorrelationVariables change
in opposite
directions
Positive
CorrelationVariables
change in the
same directions
*Existence of a correlation does not mean a
cause and effect relationship exists.
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Which standards are used for
showing causation?
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I -> 2 variable must be correlated
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II-> All other factors must be taken into account
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Spurious correlation-> relationship between the 2 variables that
is actually caused by a 3rd factor.
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This is very challenging to expose
III-> Change in the Independent variable must occur before
the change in the Dependent variable.
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Explain the Scientific Method.
Recognition
and formulation of a
problem.
Collection
of Data through some sort
of observation and experiment.
Formulating
and Test a Hypothesis or
Educated Guess.
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List and Explain the steps of the
Scientific Method.
 ID
the Problem  Review the Literature 
Formulate the Hypothesis  Develop a Research
Design  Collect Data  Analyze the Data  State
the Findings and Conclusions
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Choose an object or topic of study. At this time you should be thinking
of a particular questions to answer that includes an independent and
dependent variable.
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Eg. Does nutrition influence academic achievement?
What physical feature does a man find most appealing in a mate?
What is the biggest factor in a woman choosing a mate?
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List and Explain the steps of the
Scientific Method.
 ID
the Problem  Review the Literature 
Formulate the Hypothesis  Develop a Research
Design  Collect Data  Analyze the Data  State
the Findings and Conclusions
 Search
and Compile research already done on the
topic you are studying.
 Eg. Journals, Books, Magazines, Articles, and
Papers.
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List and Explain the steps of the
Scientific Method.
 ID
the Problem  Review the Literature 
Formulate the Hypothesis  Develop a Research
Design  Collect Data  Analyze the Data  State
the Findings and Conclusions
 Creating
a testable statement of the relationships
among your 2 variables, from the research
discovered in the literature reviewed.
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List and Explain the steps of the
Scientific Method.
 ID
the Problem  Review the Literature 
Formulate the Hypothesis  Develop a Research
Design  Collect Data  Analyze the Data 
State the Findings and Conclusions
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Creating a plan of procedures to follow in collecting
and analyzing data.
 Determining whether to use a questionnaire or
interview, case study or participant observation? How
many people will you survey? What is your sample
population going to be? ETC…
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List and Explain the steps of the
Scientific Method.
 ID
the Problem  Review the Literature 
Formulate the Hypothesis  Develop a Research
Design  Collect Data  Analyze the Data 
State the Findings and Conclusions
 Asking
people questions, observing behaviors,
and analyzing existing materials and records on
the subject.
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List and Explain the steps of the
Scientific Method.
 ID
the Problem  Review the Literature 
Formulate the Hypothesis  Develop a Research
Design  Collect Data  Analyze the Data 
State the Findings and Conclusions
 Viewing
the data to determine whether the
hypothesis is supported.
 This is usually simplified by taking the data and
placing it into a graph or chart of some kind.
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List and Explain the steps of the
Scientific Method.
 ID
the Problem  Review the Literature 
Formulate the Hypothesis  Develop a Research
Design  Collect Data  Analyze the Data  State
the Findings and Conclusions
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Describe methods. Accept, Reject, or Modify Hypothesis.
 This should be a summary of the entire experiment stating
what happened, the accuracy of your hypothesis, what
some intervening variables could have been, and how you
might do the experiment different next time.
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List the Sociologists Code of
Ethics.
Show
 Report
Findings
and Methods
truthfully.
objectivity.
Use
Superior
Research
Standards.
 Protect
the rights,
privacy, integrity,
dignity, and
freedom of
subjects.
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Greatest Benefit w/ least harm
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Being an ethical researcher, what 2
things should always be kept in mind?
1) Balance interest
of those being
studied against
the need for
accurate and
timely data.
2) People involved in
sociological
research should be
protected from
social, financial, or
psychological
damage; and/or
legal prosecution.