Chapter 2: Sociological Research Flashcards
accuracy
using a tool makes the measuring more precise
case study
in-depth analysis of a certain 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 of 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, but does not necessarily indicate causation
debunking
looking beyond the obvious to expose falseness by examining merit, logic and evidence
dependent variables
a variable changed by other 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 a natural environment without doing a lab experiment or survey
Hawthorne Effect
when study subjects behave in a certain manner due to their awareness of being observed by a researcher
hypothesis
a testable educated guess about predicted outcomes between two or more variables
independent variables
variables that cause changes in dependent variables
interpretive framework
a sociological research approach that seeks 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 researcher and the subject
literature review
a scholarly research step that entails identifying and studying all existing studies on a topic to create a basis for new research
non-reactive 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 plans to study
participant observation
when a researcher immerses herself in a group or social setting in order to make observations from an “insider” perspective
population
a defined group serving as the subject of a study
primary data
data that are collected directly from firsthand experience
qualitative data
non-numerical, descriptive data that is often subjective and based on what is experienced 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 a 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 analysis
using data collected by others and applying new interpretations
surveys
collect data from subjects who respond to a series of questions about thinking, behaviors, and opinions, often in the form of a questionnaire
validity
the degree to which a sociological measure accurately reflects the topic of study
value neutrality
a practice of remaining impartial, without bias or judgment during the course of a study and in publishing results
