Download The Scientific Method (cont`d.)

The Real World
An Introduction to Sociology
Fourth Edition
Kerry Ferris and Jill Stein
Chapter 2: Studying
Social Life:
Sociological
Research Methods
Overview of Research
Methods
• Quantitative research: translates the
social world into numbers that can be
studied mathematically
• Qualitative research: uses
nonnumerical data like texts,
interviews, photos, and recordings to
help us understand social life
2
The Scientific Approach
• The scientific method—a
procedure for acquiring
knowledge that
emphasizes collecting
data through
observation and
experiment
3
4
The Scientific Method
•
•
•
•
Literature review
Hypothesis
Variables
Operational definitions
• It helps determine
correlation, causation,
and spurious causation.
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The Scientific Method
(cont’d.)
• Correlation: a relationship
between two variables
• Causation: a relationship in which one
variable causes another variable to
change
• Spurious correlation: a relationship that
seems to exist between two variables, but
is actually caused by some external, or
intervening, variable.
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Ethnographic Methods
• One way to collect to data is
through ethnography—studying
people in their own environments
in order to understand the
meanings they give to their
activities.
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Ethnographic Methods
(cont’d.)
• Ethnography usually happens in two
steps:
• The researcher participates in and
observes a setting.
• Then the researcher makes a written
account (field notes) of what goes on
there.
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Ethnographic Methods
(cont’d.)
• In participant observation the
researcher both observes and
becomes a member in a social
setting.
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Interviews
• Interviews involve direct,
face-to-face contact with respondents.
• Can generate large amounts of
qualitative data
• Researcher identifies the target
population of interest, then selects a
sample of people to be interviewed from
that population
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Interviews (cont’d.)
• Interviews can use open-ended
questions or closed-ended questions.
• Open-ended questions let respondents
talk as much as they’d like about the
question you asked, whereas closedended questions give respondents a
choice of answers.
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Surveys
• Surveys are questionnaires that are
administered to a sample of
respondents selected from a target
population. Survey research tends to
look at large-scale social patterns and
employs statistics and other
mathematical means of analysis.
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Existing Sources
• Existing sources refer to any data that
has already been collected by earlier
researchers and is available for future
research.
13
Experimental Methods
• Experiments are
formal tests of
specific variables
and effects that are
performed in a
setting where all
aspects of the
situation can be
controlled.
14
Experimental Methods
(cont’d.)
• Many experiments involve:
• An experimental group—participants that
receive the experimental treatment
• A control group—participants that continue
without intervention so they can be
compared with the experimental group
• The independent variable is the factor that is
predicted to change
• The dependent variable is the factor that is
changed by the independent variable.
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The Scientific Approach
• Most sociologists believe that
they should not allow their personal
beliefs to influence their research.
• Max Weber coined the phrase value-free
sociology, stating that researchers
should identify facts without allowing
their own personal beliefs or biases to
interfere.
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Conducting Sociological
Research
• The American Sociological Association
has developed its own code of ethics to
help researchers avoid bias and adhere
to professional standards and to protect
respondents from harm.
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Conducting Sociological
Research (cont’d.)
• Most universities where research is
conducted also have an institutional
review board, a group of scholars
within a university who meet regularly
to review and approve the research
proposals of their colleagues and make
recommendations for how to protect
human subjects.
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The Milgram
Experiment
The Stanford Prison
Experiment
The Tuskegee Syphilis
Experiment
Let’s Discuss!
• Have you ever completed/filled out a research survey?
If so, what was it for?
• Ethical concerns in sociological research are huge. If
you had to research people, what would you be
concerned about?
• Can sociological research truly be bias-free?
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=760lwYmpXbc
Chapter 2:
Participation Questions
After learning a little about
research methods, which seems
to appeal to you the most?
a. quantitative research
b. qualitative research
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Chapter 2:
Participation Questions
After learning a little about
research methods, which part of
the research process seems most
confusing?
a. reviewing the literature
b. choosing a research method
c. collecting data
d. interpreting results
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Chapter 2:
Participation Questions
Have you ever participated in a
research study?
a. yes
b. no
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Chapter 2:
Participation Questions
Have you ever conducted
research or helped someone else
conduct research?
a. yes
b. no
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