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Individual and Society > Research Methods > Flashcards

Research Methods Flashcards

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Sociology 101 flashcards
1
Q

What is science? /5

A

a way to produce knowledge based on a specific method

begins with a theory

involves the using empirical observation to collect data

uses logic to compare the evidence yo the theory

social institution

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2
Q

What is a theory? /2

A

an idea about how the world works

may come from agreement reality

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3
Q

What is empirical observation?

A

personal experience

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4
Q

What is Natural Sciences?

A

study naturally occurring objects or phenomena

ex. light, objects, matter, earth, celestial bodies, human body

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5
Q

What are the natural sciences classified as disciplines? /6

A

physics - science of physical objects

chemistry - science of matter

geology - science of the earth

astronomy - science of celestial objects

biology - science of the human body

botany - science of plants

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6
Q

What is Social Science?

A

science of people or collections of people

ex. groups, individual or collective behaviour

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7
Q

What are the social sciences classified as disciplines? /5

A

psychology - science of human behaviour

sociology - science of culture

political science - science of politics and power

geography - science of humans in the natural world

economics - science of firms, markets, and economies

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8
Q

What is the Scientific Method? /5

A

a way of developing and testing theories by empirical observation

logical

confirmable

repeatable

scrutinizable

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9
Q

What does it mean when a theory is logical?

A

based on principles of reasoning

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10
Q

What does it mean when an theory is confirmable?

A

must match the observed evidence

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11
Q

What does it mean when an theory is repeatable? /2

A

other scientists should be able to independently replicate or repeat a scientific study

obtain similar or identical results

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12
Q

What does it mean when an theory is scrutinizable?

A

procedures used and the inferences derived must withstand critical scrutiny (peer review) by other scientists

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13
Q

What is a hypothesis? /2

A

a statement about something that is believed will happen or to be true

important step in the scientific method

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14
Q

What is the research process? /7

A 
identify the research problems
|
review the literature
|
select a research method
|
collect data
|
analyze data
|
report findings
|
restart/is a loop
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15
Q

What types of study are there? /3

A

cross-sectional

longitudinal

comparative

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16
Q

What is a cross-sectional study?

A

information gathered at a single point in time

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17
Q

What is a longitudinal study?

A

information gathered at different points in time

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18
Q

What is a comparative study?

A

use data from different sources and compare them

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19
Q

What types of data are there? /2

A

quantitative data - based on numbers
ex. grades on a test

qualitative data - information that is not numerical
ex. how students feel before a test

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20
Q

What are the different techniques for collecting data? /6

A

experiments

surveys

interviews

secondary analysis

content analysis

field research

21
Q

What are experiments? /4

A

carefully designed situations to test causes and effects

researcher can control other factors (pro)

not a realistic situation (con)

quasi-experiment

22
Q

What is a quasi-experiment?

A

researcher creates a situation which could yield different results

23
Q

What are surveys? /3

A

set of questions used to measure opinions or behaviours of a group of people

collect a lot of information from a large number of people quickly and easily (pro)

people say what they do, not what they ACTUALLY do (con)

24
Q

What are interviews? /3

A

researcher asks orally and records the answers

gets more information and ask follow-up questions (pro)

take a lot of time (con)

25
Q

What is a secondary analysis? /3

A

using and analyzing data collected by someone else

easy to get (pro)

not always what you need (con)

26
Q

What is a content analysis? /3

A

studying cultural artifacts (i.e., texts or images)

free with no ethical issues (pro)

may take a long time to code (con)

27
Q

What is a field research? /3

A

observing people where they live, work, and interact

realistic (pro)

takes a lot of time (con)

28
Q

What is a variable?

A

anything that can be measured

ex. age, gender, marital status

29
Q

What is an attribute?

A

a characteristic of a variable

ex. divorced, single, married are all attributes of the variable ‘marital status’

30
Q

What is conceptualization? /2

A

clearly and specifically define what variables mean

can be easy or difficult depending on the subject

31
Q

What is operationalization?

A

how to measure the concept being studied

allows us to measure a concept in an objective, empirical way

ex. how would you measure your income?

32
Q

What is an independent variable?

A

hypothetically causes or affects the other variable

ex. studying

33
Q

What is a dependent variable?

A

the effect or outcome

ex. improvement of grades

34
Q

What is a population?

A

all members of a group

ex. all Canadians aged 18 and over

35
Q

What is a sample?

A

smaller part of a population of interest

ex. 1000 Canadians aged 18 and over

36
Q

How do you tell whether a group is a sample or a population? /2

A

identify the population based on what it is that you wish to study.

Remember that a sample is then selected from the population.

37
Q

What are the different types of samples? /8

A

systematic

cluster

stratified

convenience

voluntary

representative

biased

random

38
Q

What is a systematic sample?

A

Go through your entire population

choose every second, fifth, tenth, or nth member to be in your sample

39
Q

What is a cluster sample? /2

A

subgroup of the whole population

you choose every member of one or more of these subgroups to be your sample

40
Q

What is a stratified sample? /2

A

specific type of group within the population

proportional stratified sample- knowing the proportion of each type of stratum within the population

41
Q

What is a convenience sample?

A

choosing the members of the population who are the easiest to reach

42
Q

What is a voluntary sample?

A

when people volunteer to be in the sample

43
Q

What is a representative sample?

A

relevant characteristics of the sample members are generally the same as the characteristics of the population

44
Q

What is a biased sample? /2

A

certain characteristics are over-represented or under-represented

not accurate

45
Q

What is a simple random sample? /2

A

best way to get a representative sample

each member of the population has the same chance of being selected

46
Q

What are the ethics in research? /4

A

we cannot treat them the same way we would inanimate objects

established certain principles guiding research with people

must be given consent

respect of privacy (confidentiality and anonymity

47
Q

What are the three principles guiding research with people? /3

A

Respect for the person

Concern for welfare

Justice

48
Q

What is confidentiality?

A

researcher will know the person but will not publish any identifying information about them

49
Q

What is anonymity?

A

even the researcher does not know the person

Individual and Society (12 decks)

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