research methods Flashcards
what is research
The systematic process of data collection for producing knowledge
- Sociological research is distinct because it is social in nature
what does Social research examine
- Groups, societies, social interactions
- Addresses patterns, comparisons, relationships, and meanings in social life
- Involves people, organizations, or social systems
- Analyzes aspects of people’s experiences that go beyond the biological or psychological
what is the scientific method
a procedure for acquiring knowledge that emphasizes collecting data through observation and experiment
what is one thing research must be
empirical - statements of possible facts, hypothetically be proven true or false
- Empirical research differs from normative or anecdotal statements - tend to be expressions of opinion or the recounting of an individual (one time experience)
what is the independents vs dependent variable
D = The outcome we are seeking to understand
I = The concept purported to be the cause
what is causation vs correlation
causation = X causes Y - Difficult for researchers to demonstrate that a particular relationship is causal
correlation = X may be related to Y, but the relationship may not be a valid or spurious (fake; illegitimate)
basic research vs applied research
B = Directed at gaining fundamental knowledge about some issue
A = Designed to produce results that are immediately useful in relation to some real-world situation
generlizability of a sample meaning
If it is possible to assume the patterns and relationships among the sample in the research to hold true for the broader population
meaning of representitive samples
The people in the sample have characteristics typical of people in the broader population the researchers seek to analyze
- If the sample is representative, the researchers can make the case that their findings provide a good representation of overall population studied
ethical responsibilities when collecting data and conducting social research
- Unethical to make up data or to plagiarize other people’s work
- Minimize any risks of harm to the participants
- Get informed consent from each participant - requires that the participants be told the purpose of the research, what they will be asked to do, and any risks prior to participating – also must be given the chance to withdraw their participation at any time
5 ways Social Scientists collect data
- surveys
- interviews - detailed answers
- participant observation
- ethnography - studies how groups of people live by understanding it from their point of view
- content analysis - Involves counting elements of a text or can involve more interpretive and relational elements (Good reflection of society at the time)
example of content analysis study
HATTON AND TRAUTNER, 2011 - “ ‘EQUAL OPPORTUNITY OBJECTIFICATION?’ THE SEXUALIZATION OF MEN AND WOMEN ON THE COVER OF ROLLING STONE”
- 1967 – 2009: Rolling Stone Covers
- 726 Images of men; 280 images of women (1,006 covers)
- coded for things like: clothing/nudity, pose, mouth, text, body parts
- FINDINGS = Stark increase in the sexualization of both men and women and the hypersexualization of women
what is data analysis
The process of reducing the mass of raw data to a set of findings that provide the basis for making conclusions
quantitive vs qualitative data analysis methods
quantitive = Typically presents an analysis of data based on numbers
qualitative = Typically presents an analysis of data based on words and images
ways quantitive data is collected
Typically gathered through questionnaires (survey) - responses are transformed into numbers and analyzed using data analysis techniques or statistical software
