Ch. 2 – Sociologists Doing Research

Research Methods - Goal is to test common sense assumptions & replace false ideas w/ fact & evidence Limited Ability to set up lab experiments to replicate real-life conditions – Therefore the world is a Sociologist lab Quantitative Research – uses numerical data – Surveys, precollected data Qualitative Research – rests on narrative & descriptive data

SurveysSurveys - Make up about 90% of published research Most widely used method If sample is not representative then results can not generalize the population – Most common way to get a representative sample is by picking at random Can be in either questionnaire or interview format U.S. Census, Gallop Poll, and Harris Poll are all nationally recognized surveys in the U.S. U.S. CensusGallop Poll

Close ended questions Results can be measured more precisely Expensive to produce and distribute Easily comparibleResponses are limited to preset answers Statistic techniques can be used to put order to data People don’t respond, leading to low cost effectivness Large number of responces can be collected Phrasing can influence answers Open ended questions are answered in participants own words

Secondary Analysis Using precollected data for research Census Bureau – total population every 10 years, and specific surveys every year U.S. Department of Labor – income and unemployment U.S. Department of Commerce – monthly reports on various aspects of the economy Emile Durkheim relied on precollected data for his research on suicide

AdvantagesDisadvantages Inexpensive, high quality data May not be exactly suited for the researchers purposes Existing info. Allows for studies over a long period of time Can be out dated Researchers can not influence the participants or data Don’t know the exact methods of collection

Field Research Looks closely at aspects of social life that can’t be measured quantitatively, & are best understood in natural settings – High school cliques Case Studies – a thorough investigation of a single group, incident, or community Case Studies Participant observation – researcher becomes a member of the group being studied, & might or might not tell the group he is studying Participant observation – Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin (1961), the author died his skin to study African American life in the South

Causation in Science Causation – events occur in a predictable, nonrandom way; one event leads to another Multiple causation – an event occurs as a result of several factors working in combination – Causes of crime – Cesare Lombroso, 19 th century, Italian criminologist believed the tendency to commit crime was inherited – Therefore criminals could be identified by certain traits, large jaws, or receding foreheadslarge jaws, or receding foreheads – Modern criminologists – peer pressure, drugs, poverty, poor parenting

Quantitative variables – can be measured & given a numerical value Qualitative variables – are identified by membership to a category – Either / or, yes / no Sex, marital status, group membership Independent variables – cause something to occur Independent variables Dependant variables – result from a change in the independent variable – How does the time spent studying change the grade earned? Intervening variable – influences the relationship b/w independent variable and dependent variable Intervening variable

Correlation How things are related to one another Positive correlation – both ind. and dep. variables change in the same way Negative correlation – variables change in opposite directions Spurious correlation – apparent relationship b/w 2 variables is actually caused by a 3 rd variable – Church attendance and delinquency

Just because there is correlation does not guarantee causationcausation Standards for showing causation 1.2 variables must be correlated 2.All other possible factors must be taken into account 3.A change in the independent variable must occur before a change in the dependent variable can occur

Procedures and Ethics in Research Scientific Method 1.Identify the Problem 2.Review the literature 3.Formulate hypotheses – testable statement of relationships among well-defined variables 4.Develop a research design 5.Collect data 6.Analyze data 7.State findings & conclusions Many Sociologists do not follow these steps to the letter. – Exploratory research, changing hypotheses during the study

Ethics - a system of moral principles Ethics – Showing objectivity – using superior research standards – reporting findings and method truthfully – Protecting rights, privacy, integrity, dignity, and freedom of research subjects

Mean – the average of a series of numbers Median – the middle number in a series of numbers If series has and odd number of numbers it is the middle number If series is ever you add the 2 middle numbers and divide by 2 Mode – the number in the series that reoccurs most frequently 1, 5, 3, 8, 1, 6, 4, 1, 5 Mean – 3.77 Median – 4 Mode - 1