Social Research: Part 1 The Scientific Method
- 1. Social ResearchPart I: The Scientific Method
- 2. Why Research?Earl BabbieAssumption that the majority of people on welfare stay on welfare for life and pass it on to the next generationSocial research proves otherwise
- 3. Social ResearchEmpirical methodsFocus on observable phenomenaOthers should be able to observe the same phenomena and check observations for accuracyMethodologyThe rules and guidelines followed in research
- 4. The Scientific MethodProcedure that involves systematically formulating problems, devising and testing hypotheses, collecting and analyzing dataLogical design process
- 5. The Scientific MethodDefine the problemReview the literatureForm hypothesisCollect and analyze dataDraw conclusionsRepeat
- 6. Three Types of ResearchExploratoryExplore a new social phenomenonAnswer the question of “what” and provides information for future researchGoal is theory development
- 7. Three Types of ResearchDescriptiveDescribes social reality or provides facts about the social worldGoal of providing data on social factsRequires a large amount of data that is usually analyzed statistically
- 8. Three Types of ResearchExplanatory/causalExplains why things do or do not happenLooks for causation
- 9. Step 1: Define the ProblemIntroduce your topicState the problem you have identifiedDiscuss the purpose and objectives of the studyDefine the limitations of the study
- 10. Step 1: Define the ProblemIntroduce your topicSetting the stage
- 11. Step 1: Define the ProblemStatement of the problemArticulate the problem under investigation and define the concepts being studiedConcept – abstract system of meaning that enables us to perceive a phenomenon in a particular wayTools that allow us to share meaningVariables – thing of interest in a particular piece of research
- 12. Step 2: Review the LiteratureAvoid duplicating workHelps suggest ways of phrasing questions or focusing research in more interesting waysPrimary and secondary sourcesWhere you start to develop your theory
- 13. Step 3: Research Questions/HypothesesVariablesThings of interest in a particular piece of researchThought to be influenced by another thingHave varying attributes (characteristics or qualities that describe a thing)The more abstract and the further removed from direct observation, the harder it is to reach consensus on how to measure it
- 14. Step 3: Research Questions/HypothesesTheoretical definitionOrdinary meaning you intend to conveyOperational definitionSet of procedures by which you measure your concepts and collect your data
- 15. Step 3: Research Questions/HypothesesTo operationalize variables is to turn them into things that can be measuredList the attributes of the variable so that you can measure their presence or absenceExhaustive and mutually exclusive
- 16. Step 3: Research Questions/HypothesesVariables in Causal ResearchIndependent – variable that is presumed to influence or affect other variablesDependent – variable that is presumed to be affected or influenced by the independent variable
- 17. Step 3: Research Questions/HypothesesAfter we’ve identified the variables of interest, we posit a relationship between themPropositionStatement about the nature of some phenomenonHypothesisProposition that can be testedCan be true or false
- 18. Step 3: Research Questions/HypothesesMilgram ExperimentResearch questionWhat made so many German people comply with the killing of so many during WWII?HypothesisGermans has a basic character flaw that makes them ready to obey authority without question, no matter what is asked of them
- 19. Step 4: Collect & Analyze DataResearch perspectiveType of research (exploratory, descriptive, causal)Research method (ethnography, survey, content analysis, etc.)Justification
- 20. Step 4: Collect & Analyze DataContent and accessDescribe the content of your research, where you will gather data fromDescribe how you will get access to this dataPopulationAn aggregate of all those who conform to a designated set of specifications
- 21. Step 4: Collect & Analyze DataSamplingSample – portion of the population that will be studied to make inferences about the larger populationHow big your sample is depends on how diverse the population isScientific and nonscientificRandom sample – every member of the population has an equal chance of being in the study
- 22. Step 4: Collect & Analyze DataRandom samplingPure random sampling – random number chartSystematic sampling – specific pattern of selection is followedStratified sampling – population is dividing into groups and then chosen at random from within these groups
- 23. Step 4: Collect & Analyze DataNonscientific samplingCannot be used to make projections to the whole populationConvenience/accidental samplingQuota sampling – try to select people in proportions that they exist in populationPurposive sampling
- 24. Step 4: Collect & Analyze DataAnalyze dataObjectivity – researcher’s biases and values should not affect analysisGeneralizations – the extent to which findings can be applied beyond the sample
- 25. Step 4: Collect & Analyze DataThree types of Causal evidenceConcomitant variationCorrelationX relates to YTime sequence X happens before YControl for other factorsIntervening variable – variables that come between and affect the relationship between the independent and dependent variables
- 26. Step 4: Collect & Analyze DataCausal relationshipsDirect relationshipIf you eat more, you weigh more.Inverse relationshipIf you exercise more, you weigh less.
- 27. Step 4: Collect & Analyze DataVerification of dataTriangulation – uses multiple data collection methods to gather dataReliability – extent to which repeated observations of the same phenomenon would yield similar resultsValidity – extent to which observations actually yield measures of what they are supposed to measure
- 28. Step 5: Draw ConclusionsSummarize findingsDiscuss the relation of your findings to your hypothesisCritique the research
- 29. Step 6: RepeatNew questions always arise