SOC WEEK 7+8 (Lit + Reasearch Q) (Ethics+ Qualitative Sampling+ Ethnography) Flashcards
What should you consider when choosing a research topic?
Sociologically Relevant, Build+ Contribute to existing research, Have background info; have interest in topic
Criteria when choosing literature?
Peer Reviewed, Relevant to topic, Published in credible journal
What is an Academic Research Gap?
Question that CANNOT be answered from existing studies; hasn’t been studied enough
What is the Boolean Search method?
A search method that uses logical operators like ‘AND,’ ‘OR,’ and ‘NOT’ to combine keywords and refine search results within a database.
What is needed for an Annotated Bibliography?
Research Topic, Research Question, Method, Argument+ Key Findings, Relevance to YOUR topic (evaluation of author’s stance)
What is the formulation of a Research Question?
Precision: STATE WHAT IT SPECIFICALLY ANSWERS, Empirical: more than yes and no, Practical: CAN BE STUDIED/ DATA CAN BE COLLECTED, Sociologically Relevant: contribute to social phenomenon
What are Ethics and Institutional Review Boards?
Regulates people or professions; Professional orgs have codes of conduct.
What is the IRB (Institutional Review Board)?
Any academic research needs to be proposed to their IRB, review for ethical violations and/or procedural errors. Without IRB approval = NO FUNDING+ NO PUBLISHING.
What is the ASA guideline regarding voluntary participation in studies?
Participants cannot be forced to stay and can leave at any time without compensation.
What does the ASA guideline state about harm in research?
No unnecessary physical, emotional, or mental trauma should be inflicted.
What is required for informed consent according to ASA guidelines?
Participants must be informed of the risks associated with the study.
What does confidentiality mean in the context of ASA guidelines?
Private information disclosed by a subject is expected to remain undisclosed without permission.
What is the definition of anonymity in research according to ASA guidelines?
Data cannot be linked to information that could identify or trace a specific subject.
What is the difference between Anonymity and Confidentiality?
Anonymity means that names and other pieces of information that can identify participants are never attached to the data.
Example: separate link for entering a survey raffle. Confidentiality means that any information or data the participants provides is controlled in such a way that it is not revealed to others; only the researcher has access to that data.
Example: confidential group evaluations.
Is Political Bias allowed in research?
NO! NO FORMAL CODES OF ACCEPTED POLITICAL CONDUCT.
What is Qualitative Sampling?
In-depth info about members, smaller sample sizes, information rich, more time consuming.
What is Purposive sampling (non-probability)?
Uses handpicked subjects that meet researcher’s needs, often used in qualitative research.
Example: subjects who demonstrate different levels of variables of interest.
What is critical case sampling?
Selecting what are believed to be particularly important cases.
What is typical case sampling?
Cases are selected because they are the average typical case of the characteristic(s) being studied.
What is deviant case sampling?
A type of purposive sampling that focuses on unusual or very specific cases.
What is heterogenous case sampling?
Technique used to capture a wide range of perspectives by selecting participants with diverse characteristics.
What is homogeneous case sampling?
Study a specific trait or feature by selecting a group of people with similar characteristics, such as age, gender, or background.
What is theoretical case sampling?
Revising the sample as the research question and focus develops during the study.
What is grounded theory?
Research method that involves creating theories from data and then looking for relationships among categories.
