Test 1: Types of Studies and Data Collection Method Flashcards
What are the 4 types of studies?
Social survey, experimental research, field research, and indirect methods
What is the definition of social survey?
Asking questions to a selected number of people, and using probability to draw conclusions on a population
What is the definition of experimental research?
Attempting to control aspects of a situation by manipulating a variable to assess its effects
What is the definition of field research?
To observe the flow of social life as it naturally takes place, and the context of behavior
What is the definition of indirect methods?
To obtain data without the participation of respondents, in a non-disruptive way
What are the data collection methods for social surveys?
Individually administered questionnaire
Face-to-face interview surveys (practical to ask more question, do follow-ups and remind the participant of the survey’s confidentiality)
Mail or e-mail surveys
Web-based survey
Phone survey
What are the concerns with social surveys?
- Setting: giving a survey 2 min between the end of class will make people rush to finish it
- Instructions: being precise in language
- Format, ex.: too long = participants lose interest
- Interpretivism: being too vague, letting room for interpretation
- Language: using language which is too complicated for the average respondent of a survey
What are the data collection methods for experimental research?
Laboratory experiment, field experiment, natural experiment, and internet-based experiments
What is a laboratory experiment?
Formal research done in a controlled environment
What is a field experiment?
A research that can be completed outside the lab, sometimes with the participant’s self-supervision
What is a natural experiment?
The experimental conditions are determined by nature or other “out-of-control” factors
What are the data collection methods for field research?
Nonparticipant observation, semi-participant observation, and participant observation
What is nonparticipant observation?
Data is gathered by observing a certain group without them knowing about it
What is semi-participant observation?
The researcher’s presence and intent are known, but a distance is maintained
What is participant observation?
The researcher becomes a member of the group for the sake of comprehension
What are the concerns over field research?
- Nonparticipant: interpretations are difficult to make without direct contact with the subjects, it is also impossible to obtain their consent
- Semi-participant and participant: an observer’s presence may alter the group’s activities and participation may involve personal danger and possibility to lose objectivity towards subjects
- In all cases: requires a lot of time and resources
What are the concerns with experimental research?
- Hypothesis is challenging to formulate
- Some changes in variables are difficult to measure or predict
- Requires more time/resources to design
- Can be more difficult to recruit subjects
- Often requires keeping information from test subjects
- Often requires debriefing of test subjects following the study
What are the data collection methods for indirect methods?
Unobstructive measurement, content analysis, and secondary data analysis
What is unobstructive measurement?
Data is gathered without intruding in its natural process (ex.: archeology)
What is content analysis?
The qualitative or quantitative analysis of text documents to identify patterns (ex.: historians use this)
What is secondary data analysis?
Combining quantitative data from multiple databases (also called meta-analysis, the analysis of analyses)
What are the concerns of indirect methods?
- Somewhat limited in scope
- Leaves lots of room for interpretation by researchers
- Easy to ignore certain texts and data in favor of hypothesis
