Conducting Sociology Research Flashcards
Scientific Method
objective, systematic, and logical way of collecting data and arriving at a reasoned conclusion
Hypothesis
statement that predicts the relationship between 2 or more variable
Variable
characteristic that can differ from one individual, group, or situation to another in a measurable way
Independent Variable
causes a change in another
Dependent Variable
the variable that is changed
needs to be measurable
Correlation
Change in one variable is associated with a change in another
it may or may not be causal
can be positive or negative
Positive Correlation
both go in same direction
Negative Correlation
one up one down
Spurious Correlation
variables appear to be related, but are affected by an outside variable
Basic Research Methods
Surveys
Analysis of Existing Sources
Observational Studies
Experiments
Surveys
collect data on attitudes and opinions from large population
2 methods- questionaries and interviews
uses a sample
Sample
small number drawn from the entire population
Analysis of Existing Sources
Historical Method
Content Analysis
Historical Method
examining any material from the past
helps compare past and present
Content Analysis
counting number of times a word, phrase, or symbol is used to analyze recorded communication
very inexpensive and easy
