Chapter 2 - Research Methods

Question 1

what is inductive reasoning and deductive reasoning

Answer 1

inductive - starts with data and observations, conclusions then drawn (bottom up)

Deductive reasoning- starts with theory, then tested (top down)

Question 2

what is positivism. is it relevant td?

Answer 2

Positivism - belief that every rational assertion an be verified by scientific proof

not relevant today

Question 3

what is the Insider perspective

Answer 3

someone who has lived through/ identifies with what they’re studying - can possibly develop more trust

Question 4

what is an outsider perspective

Answer 4

someone who had never lived experience of what their studying - sometimes more difficult to gain access/trust to who they study

Question 5

what is qualitative research

Answer 5

characteristics that cannot be measured (antipositivism is this)

Question 6

what is triangulation

Answer 6

mixed method approach; today both are used

Question 7

what is ethnography and who developed it

Answer 7

extensive fieldwork, participation of daily lives of subjects
You can do participatory observation in an ethnographic study
More broad term for a researcher going into the field to study people in their natural setting
Not looking to generalise results to other groups, interested of gaining information on the specific participants

Question 8

what is institutional ethnography and who developed it

Answer 8

holds that any organization can have 2 sides of data
One side is the views of the ruling people (those who hold power)
On the other side is the views of someone who works for the organization who is not in management

Question 9

institutional ethnography recognizes that there is a _____, or separation between the knowledges produced from the perspective of the Bourgeoise and the Proletariat

Answer 9

disjuncture

Question 10

the _____ _____ appreach studies a single case

Answer 10

case study

Question 11

a ______ is when someone tells a story about themselves

Answer 11

narrative

Question 12

participatory observation is when a researcher takes notes on group they’re studying while participating in their lives
what are the advantages and disadvantages

Answer 12

Advantage - allows researchers to study a group in their natural setting

Disadvantage - when researchers lose sight of their objectivity because ~ they become such an active member of the group in which they are submerged that they cant detach themselves subjectively

Question 13

what are some advantages and disadvantages of using inteviews

Answer 13

Advantage - You can delve more into the question and probe people on specific relevant points (unlike in a survey)
can be biased

Question 14

what is secondary analysis + advantages of it

Answer 14

analyzing data that already exists, has been collected by somebody else

adv - cheaper

Question 15

in secondary analysis there is content analysis, discourse analysis and historical analysis. describe them

Answer 15

Content analysis - systematically studying things related to text or media ~ study set of cultural artefact (article, book, clothes) - Can be qualitative or quantitative

Discourse analysis - Study the meaning of how something is written

Historical analysis - analysis of historical text

Question 16

studying people who don’t know they’re being studied is known as

Answer 16

Systematic Observation (unobtrusive observation)

Must be in public, when you go in public you give up certain privacies
Unethical to study someone in private locations

Question 17

what are some advantages and disadvantages and survey studies

Answer 17

Advantage - usually a large response
Disadvantage - people can lie (social bias)

Question 18

send 2 people to do the same thing the same way with a variable between their identities (eg gender) and see how they are treated differently

this is known as what

Answer 18

audit studies

Question 19

Sociology tells us to approach stats ______

Answer 19

critically

Question 20

describe the median, average and mean

Answer 20

Median - number that is in the middle/ separates higher/lower halves of scores

Average - add up all scores and evide them

Mean - Same as average

Question 21

finding a way yo turn an abstract theory such as homelessness into a measurable thing is known as

Answer 21

an operational definition

Question 22

describe the independent and dependent variable as well as when they are related

Answer 22

Independent variable - have effect on another variable

Dependent variable - affected by independent variable and measures

Correlation - exists between two variables that are associated, move together in a predictable pattern

Question 23

women’s level of education increases, average income increases
this is an example of _______ correlation

Answer 23

Positive correlation - move together, independent and dependent move together

Question 24

women level of education increases, number of children decreases

this is an example of ______ correlation

Answer 24

Negative (inverse) - opposite, the independent variable and dependent variable move in opposite direction

Question 25

_______ are less common is sociology because it’s more difficult to create a controlled environment in the social world

Answer 25

experiments

Question 26

what are the 3 characteristics for causal relations

Answer 26

-establish a correlation
- change in independent var before dependent var
- Absence of spurious reasoning - when someone see a correlation and incorrectly assumes causation - The third variable problem

Question 27

a semi-structured interview is

Answer 27

an informal, face-to-face interview designed to cover specific topics

Question 28

Canadian sociologist Aileen Ross conducted pioneering research at

Answer 28

two women’s shelters in Montreal

Ross’s methodology consisted of observation, informal interviews with the women using the shelter, accounts from the shelter staff, and shelter records.

Question 29

Billboards, novels, artwork, and clinical records are all examples of

Answer 29

cultural artifacts

Question 30

The number, score, or result that separates the higher half of results from the lower half of results in a given set of data is called

Answer 30

the median

Question 31

A closed-ended questionnaire is a form of

Answer 31

quantitative research

Question 32

When someone uses spurious reasoning, they are

Answer 32

assuming that correlation indicates causation