Chapter 2: Sociological Research Flashcards
Chapter 2: Sociological Research
Accuracy
using a toll makes the measuring more precise
Case Study
In-depth analysis of a single event, situation, or individual
Code of Ethics
a set of guidelines that the American Sociological Association has established to foster ethical research and professionally responsible scholarship in sociology
Content Analysis
applying a systematic approach to record and value information gleaned from secondary data as it relates to the study at hand
Correlation
when a change in one variable coincides with a change in another variable; it does not necessarily indicate causation
Debunking
looking beyond the obvious to expose falseness by examining merit, logic, and evidence
Dependent Variable
a variable changed by other variables
Independent Variable
a variable that causes changes to dependent variables
Empirical Evidence
evidence that comes from direct observations, scientifically gathered data, or experimentation
Ethnography
participating and observing thinking and behavior in a social setting
Experiment
the testing of a hypothesis under controlled conditions
Field Research
gathering data from natural environment without doing a lab experiment or a survey
Hawthorne Effect
when study subjects behave in a certain manner due to their awareness to being observed by a researcher
Hypothesis
a testable educated guess about predicted outcomes between two or more variables
Interpretive Framework
a sociological research method that seeks an in-depth understanding of a topic or subject through observation or interaction;
this approach is not based on hypothesis testing
Interview
a one-on-one conversation between the subject and the researcher
Literature Review
a scholarly research step that entails identifying and studying all existing studies on a topic to create basis for new research
Nonreactive Research
using secondary data, does not include direct contact with research subjects and does not alter or influence people’s behaviors
Operational Definitions
specific explanations of abstract concepts that a researcher wishes to study
Participant Observation
when a researcher immerses herself in a group or social setting to make observations from an “insider” perspective
Population
a defined group serving as the subject of a study
Primary Data
data that is collected from firsthand experience
Qualitative data
nonnumerical, descriptive data that is often subjective and based on what is experience in a natural setting
Quantitative Data
data collected in numerical form that can be counted and analyzed using statistics
Random Sample
a study’s participants being randomly selected to serve as a representation of a larger population
Reliability
a measure of study’s consistency that considers how likely results are to be replicated if a study is reproduced
Samples
small, manageable number of subjects that represent the population
Scientific Method
an established scholarly research that involves asking a question, researching existing sources, forming a hypothesis, designing a data collection method, gathering data, and drawing conclusions
Secondary Data
using data collected by others and applying new interpretations
Surveys
collect data from subjects who respond in a series of questions about thinking, behaviors, and opinions, often in the form a questionnaire
Validity
the degree to which a sociological measure accurately reflects the topic of study
Value Neutrality
a practice of being impartial, without bias or judgement during the course of a study and in publishing results
