Module 4 — Sociological Methods

Question 1

What is the purpose of statistical research?

Answer 1

To collect, record, and analyze data (to support/develop theories and/or make predictions).

Question 2

What is the purpose of qualitative field research?

Answer 2

To gather rich, in-depth, and nuanced information by going into the field to observe/talk to subjects directly.

Question 3

What are double barrelled questions?

Answer 3

Questions that actually ask more than one question at the same time.

Question 4

What is wrong with double-barrelled questions?

Answer 4

They create confusion as to which question is being answered. They interfere with reliability and validity.

Question 5

What is another name for ethnographic research?

Answer 5

Participant Observation

Question 6

What kinds of qualitative research methods do sociologists use?

Answer 6

• Participant Observation (ethnography)
• In-depth interviews (structured and unstructured or partially structured), and
• Documentary Analysis (archival/content analysis).

Most researchers use more than one of these.

Question 7

How did the concept of research ethics emerge in North America?

Answer 7

Research Ethics emerged as a response to the atrocities committed during WWII on prisoners of war.

Question 8

What is the purpose of confidentiality and anonymity for research subjects?

Answer 8

To protect from any negative consequences from having participated in the study (e.g. increased insurance rates or any other kind of discrimination based on revealed information).

Question 9

Operationalization

Answer 9

The process of translating a hypothesis into specific, testable procedures that can be measured and observed

Question 10

internal validity

Answer 10

extent to which we can draw cause-and-effect inferences from a study

Question 11

external validity

Answer 11

extent to which we can generalize findings to real-world settings

Question 12

random sampling

Answer 12

a sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion; choosing sample size is important: how it is chosen with respect to the applicability of the findings to the population.

Question 13

Validity

Answer 13

the extent to which a test measures or predicts what it is supposed to; in one context, the concept may have validity., it may not in another context.

Question 14

Variable

Answer 14

A factor that can change in an experiment; only used in statistical research

Question 15

Reliability

Answer 15

consistency of measurement

Question 16

Other approaches to validity and reliability

Answer 16

qualitative approaches; most issues on methods spoken prior are relevant to quantitative data collection.

Question 17

Qualitative Data Collection

Answer 17

Flexible and open to interpretation; participant observation, interviewing group members

Question 18

error

Answer 18

Refer to how mistakes may be unintentionally made and unforeseen into the methodological process

Question 19

Bias

Answer 19

A particular preference or point of view that is personal, rather than scientific; different from error as it refers to systemic inaccuracies in data or analysis.

Question 20

Surveys

Answer 20

Research in which a representative sample of people are asked (often anonymously) questions about their attitudes or behavior

Question 21

pseudo survey

Answer 21

are surveys done for purposes other than social scientific research (ex. marketing and customer satisfaction surveys)

Question 22

Response Rate

Answer 22

how many people from the original sample actually completed the survey

Question 23

Ethnography

Answer 23

Method by which researchers attempt to understand a group or culture by observing it from the inside, without imposing any preconceived notions they might have; participant observation (ex. Diane Fossey)

Question 24

In-depth interview

Answer 24

an exploratory research technique in which trained researchers ask open-ended questions, listen to and record the answers, and then pose additional questions to clarify or expand on a particular issue

Question 25

Documentation

Answer 25

often useful in providing a complete picture of the group being studied and the formal context (policies, laws) that shape their experience. (archival documents, case records, files)

Question 26

Field Research

Answer 26

research done in natural, real-life settings outside the laboratory; allows for in-depth and nuanced knowledge of a subject rather than generalized information derived from quantitative research.

Question 27

secondary data analysis

Answer 27

reanalysis of data, often survey data, collected by others, including other sociologists

Question 28

historical research and content analysis

Answer 28

refers to analyzing historical research (old documents and media) that took place at the time of the event; content analysis (newspapers, magazines, films) to reveal patterns.

Question 29

manifest content analysis

Answer 29

Where you see and count mentions of key words, names, terms, etc.

Question 30

latent content analysis

Answer 30

Examines the underlying themes of the physically presented data

Question 31

research ethics

Answer 31

Standards of conduct that investigators are ethically bound to honor to protect their research participants from physical or psychological harm; emerged in the post-war era.

Question 32

informed consent

Answer 32

an ethical principle that voluntary research participants be told enough to enable them to choose whether they wish to participate