2. Sociological Research Methods
Sociologists use the scientific method Sociologists use the scientific method. Like other scientists, they stress the accurate and unbiased collection and analysis of social data, use systematic observation, conduct experiments, and exhibit skepticism.
Basic Sociological Research Concepts A theory: an integrated set of statements for explaining various phenomena. A hypothesis, or testable prediction, from the theory, and tests this instead. A goal of sociological research is to discover the similarities, differences, patterns, and trends of a given population. Subjects or respondents are members of a population who participate in a study.
Scientists can apply, or generalize, their findings to the entire population when the characteristics of a sample of the population are representative of the characteristics of the entire population. In a random sample, each member of a population has an equal chance of being chosen as a subject. In quantitative research, information collected from respondents is converted into numbers. In qualitative research, information collected from respondents takes the form of verbal descriptions or direct observations of events.
To analyze data, scientists use statistics, which is a collection of mathematical procedures for describing and drawing inferences from the data. Two types of statistics are most common: inferential, and descriptive. The test's validity, is its capacity to measure what it purports to measure. Reliability is capacity to provide consistent results when administered on different occasions.
Sociological Research: Designs, Methods Cross-sectional, in which scientists study a number of individuals of different ages who have the same trait or characteristic of interest at a single time. Longitudinal, in which scientists study the same individuals or society repeatedly over a specified period of time. Cross-sequential, in which scientists test individuals in a cross-sectional sample more than once over a specified period of time.
Six of the most popular sociological research methods (procedures) are: - The case study, Survey, Observational, Correlational, Experimental, and Cross-cultural methods, Research with existing data, or secondary analysis.
Ethics in Sociological Research Ethics are self-regulatory guidelines for making decisions and defining professions. A researcher's primary duty is to protect the welfare of the subjects. A researcher should also inform subjects about their expected roles in the study, the potential risks of participating, and their freedom to withdraw from the study at any time without consequences.
After the study is finished, the researcher should provide subjects with complete details about the study.
Ask and answer the following questions when deciding the validity of a piece of social research: Are the sociologists qualified to conduct sociological studies? What are their credentials? Are the sociologists associated with an academic institution, laboratory, or clinic? What research method did the sociologists use? What are the advantages and disadvantages of this method? Do the sociologists acknowledge the limitations associated with their particular method(s)?
Are the questionnaires or tests used both reliable and valid? Is the sample gender-biased, consisting of more men than women, or vice versa? Is the sample biased in any other way? Does it include minorities? Is the sample exclusively urban or rural? Do the sociologists make generalizations about a larger population? If so, how representative of the larger population is their sample? If the research is an experiment, do the researchers have a control group not exposed to the experimental conditions to compare with the experimental group?
Do the sociologists use the most appropriate statistical tests to analyze data, or do they simply comment on what appear to be patterns? Are the conclusions drawn from the data presented in such a way as to acknowledge other possibilities? Do any other published studies support or contradict the sociologists' methods or findings?