The Real World An Introduction to Sociology Fourth

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

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The Scientific Method • • Literature review Hypothesis Variables Operational definitions • It helps determine correlation, causation, and spurious causation. 5

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. 6

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. 7

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. 8

Ethnographic Methods (cont’d. ) • In participant observation the researcher both observes and becomes a member in a social setting. 9

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 10

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. 11

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. 12

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. 15

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. 16

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. 17

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. 18

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=760 lw. Ymp. Xbc

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 23

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 24

Chapter 2: Participation Questions Have you ever participated in a research study? a. yes b. no 25

Chapter 2: Participation Questions Have you ever conducted research or helped someone else conduct research? a. yes b. no 26