Lecture 2

Question 1

Research Design: Surveys

Answer 1

surveys: used to collect data from study participants who respond to a series of. questions about attitudes, beliefs and behaviours
- surveys target a population of people from a certain demographic
-uses a sample

Question 2

Sample

Answer 2

a manageable number of subjects who ideally represent a population representativeness

Question 3

Operationalization

Answer 3

Operational: define the concept in terms of the steps it takes to object and measure it
- measurement to provide a bridge between conceptual and empirical levels
- we infer that the concept exists at the empirical level this involved translating a social phenomena into quantifiable or numerical
- allows sociologists to formulate their predictions using stats and present findings

Question 4

Empirical Patterns: Correlation

Answer 4

Correlation: when a change in one variable coincides with change in another
- this does not necessarily mean that change in one variable causes change in another only that they associated

Question 5

Causation

Answer 5

To suggest causation three criteria must be satisfied:
1. there must be a relationship or correlation between the independent and dependent variable
2. the independent variable must be prior to the dependent variable
3. there must be no other variable that is responsible for producing the causal relationship that is, some X predicts both the independent and dependent variabe and dependent variable in a way that helps explain why they are related

Question 6

Other research Designs

Answer 6

content analysis: an appraoch that selects an item of textual content that can be observed and coded. Content of some kind of documentation, such as an article.
Interview: a one-on-one conversation between a researcher and a subject
Participant Observation: immersion by a researcher ina. group or social setting in order to make observation from an “insiders perspective” (ethnography)

Question 7

Experiments

Answer 7

• in a lab setting the researcher creates an artificial situation to manipulate varaiables
  Natural experiments: experimental approximations in which a group assignment and admin of the independent variables outside the researchers control
• the independent variable isnt in the researchers control they are not manipulating the independent variable

Question 8

Randomization

Answer 8

the procedure of randomly assigning study participants to experimental and control groups