1. Researching the Social World
Chapter 3
Researching the Social World
Copyright 2014, SAGE Publications, Inc.

2. Researching the Social World
Research is essential to the discipline of sociology.
All sociologists are encouraged to utilize previously conducted research while conducting their own.
Copyright 2014, SAGE Publications, Inc.

3. Copyright 2014, SAGE Publications, Inc.
The Scientific Method
Sociologists practice empiricism, which means they gather information using their senses.
The scientific method is a structured way to find answers to questions about the world.
The scientific method is a systematic search for a thorough understanding of the world.
Checkpoint 3.1
Copyright 2014, SAGE Publications, Inc.

4. Copyright 2014, SAGE Publications, Inc.
The Scientific Method
The scientific method uses steps.
Uncover questions in need of answers.
Review the relevant literature.
Develop hypotheses (tentative statements about the relationship between two or more variables).
Choose a research method.
Collect data.
Analyze the data.
Copyright 2014, SAGE Publications, Inc.

5. The Development of Scientific Knowledge
The scientific method implies that science develops gradually and cumulatively.
Confidence in findings grows as they are confirmed by additional research.
All sciences are built on such facts.
Copyright 2014, SAGE Publications, Inc.

6. The Development of Scientific Knowledge
Thomas Kuhn (1962) proposed a different model of scientific development in The Structure of Scientific Revolutions.
A paradigm is a general model that is accepted by most practitioners in a field.
However, scientific revolutions occur when one paradigm replaces another after a scientific breakthrough.
Checkpoint 3.2
Copyright 2014, SAGE Publications, Inc.

7. Sociological Research: Qualitative and Quantitative Research
Qualitative Research
A scientific method that does not require statistical methods for collecting and reporting data
Observation and open-ended questions are two examples.
Capture descriptive information.
Copyright 2014, SAGE Publications, Inc.

8. Sociological Research: Qualitative and Quantitative Research
Involves the analysis of numerical data typically obtained from the administration of surveys and experiments.
Can help us describe and understand observable social realities
Descriptive statistics are used to compare trends over time
Inferential statistics rely on data from small groups to speculate on the behavior of larger groups.
Copyright 2014, SAGE Publications, Inc.

9. Sociological Research: Observational Research
Involves systematic watching, listening to, and recording what takes place in a natural setting over time
The most common observational methods used by sociologists are participant and non-participant observations, and ethnography.
Copyright 2014, SAGE Publications, Inc.

10. Sociological Research: Observational Research
Dimensions to any type of observation in sociology
Degree to which those being observed are aware that they are being observed
Degree to which the presence of the observer may affect those being observed
Degree to which the process is structured
Copyright 2014, SAGE Publications, Inc.

11. Observational Research
Participant and nonparticipant observation
In participant observation the researcher plays a role in the group or setting being observed.
In nonparticipant observation the researcher plays little or no role in what is being observed.
Copyright 2014, SAGE Publications, Inc.

12. Observational Research
Ethnography
The creation of an account of what a group of people do and the way they live
Entails much more intensive and lengthy periods of observation
Global ethnography: a type of ethnography grounding in understanding globalization
Netnography is using the internet and social networking places and events as the evaluative space of study
Figure 3.1
Copyright 2014, SAGE Publications, Inc.

13. Sociological Research: Interviews
Information is sought from participants who are asked a series of questions.
Types of interviews:
Prestructured
Unstructured
Copyright 2014, SAGE Publications, Inc.

14. Sociological Research: Surveys
Questionnaires are self-administered, written sets of questions.
Types of surveys
Descriptive
Explanatory
Sampling: a sample is a representative portion of the overall population
Random
Stratified
Convenience
Figure 3.2
Copyright 2014, SAGE Publications, Inc.

15. Sociological Research: Experiments
Involves the manipulation of one or more characteristics of an independent variable in order to examine the effect of that manipulation
Types of experiments
Laboratory
Natural
Field
Checkpoint 3.3
Copyright 2014, SAGE Publications, Inc.

16. Secondary Data Analysis
Refers to re-analyzing data that has been previously collected and analyzed.
Historical-Comparative Analysis
Goal is to contrast how different historical events and conditions in various societies led to different societal outcomes
Content Analysis
The systematic and objective analysis of the content of cultural artifacts
Figure 3.4
Figure 3.5
Figure 3.6
Figure 3.7
Checkpoint 3.4
Copyright 2014, SAGE Publications, Inc.

17. Issues in Social Research: Reliability and Validity
Involves the degree to which a given measure produces the same results time after time
Concern is with consistency
Validity
Involves whether a researcher is measuring what he/she claims to be
Concern is with accuracy
Copyright 2014, SAGE Publications, Inc.

18. Issues in Social Research: Research Ethics
Ethics is concerned with issues of right and wrong, the choices that people make, and how they justify them.
Research ethics is a balance of potential knowledge - the goal is to increase knowledge - and potential harm - the goal is to minimize or eliminate harm.
Copyright 2014, SAGE Publications, Inc.

19. Issues in Social Research: Research Ethics
Physical and Psychological Harm
Physical harm can be an unintended consequence of sociological research.
Psychological harm can be caused merely by asking people about sensitive issues.
Illegal Acts
A researcher might witness or even become entangled in illegal acts during the course of his/her research.
Copyright 2014, SAGE Publications, Inc.

20. Issues in Social Research: Research Ethics
Violation of Trust
Possibility of inadvertently divulging the identity of respondents even though they were promised anonymity or confidentiality
Informed Consent and IRBs
Institutional review boards are designed to deal with issues of deception in social research and potential harm.
Copyright 2014, SAGE Publications, Inc.

21. Issues in Social Research: Objectivity or Value-Free Sociology
Have researchers been, or can they be, objective?
Objectivity refers to suppressing personal bias and/or value judgments from entering research
Procedural objectivity involve reporting research findings in a way that any reader will understand how the research was conducted.
Copyright 2014, SAGE Publications, Inc.

22. Issues in Social Research: Objectivity or Value-Free Sociology
Many argue that value-laden research jeopardizes sociology as it could destroy its credibility.
Others argue that it is appropriate for researchers to be guided by their values or the values that predominate their society.
Checkpoint 3.5
Copyright 2014, SAGE Publications, Inc.