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Foundations of Sociological Inquiry
Research Design
Today’s Objectives Housekeeping Three Purposes of Research How to Design a Research Project Units of Analysis The Logic of Comparison Necessary and Sufficient Causes Questions?
Which ‘poet’ do you like better?
1 2
37%
63%1. Paul Simon
2. Roger Waters
Which song do you like better?
1 2
38%
62%1. The sound of
silence
2. Comfortably numb
Are you ever distracted by other students talking in class?
1 2
36%
64%1. Yes
2. No
Would you prefer to meet for lecture on Friday or have time to meet with your survey design group?
1 2
95%
5%
1. Have lecture on Friday; meet with group at another time
2. Don’t have lecture on Friday to allow time to meet with group
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Becky’s office hours are:
TUESDAY 3:00-5:00 Savery 224
You can always e-mail me at [email protected]
Which of these are among the purposes of social research?
1 2 3 4
1%
97%
3%0%
1. exploration
2. description
3. explanation
4. all of the above
Three Purposes of Research
1. Exploration
2. Description
3. Explanation
Three Purposes of Research
1. Exploration To satisfy the researcher’s curiosity and desire for better
understanding To test the feasibility of undertaking a more extensive study To develop the methods to be employed in any subsequent
study
Three Purposes of Research
1. Exploration To satisfy the researcher’s curiosity and desire for better
understanding To test the feasibility of undertaking a more extensive study To develop the methods to be employed in any subsequent
study
2. Description Describe situations and events through scientific observation Descriptive studies answer questions of what, where, when, and
how
Three Purposes of Research
1. Exploration To satisfy the researcher’s curiosity and desire for better
understanding To test the feasibility of undertaking a more extensive study To develop the methods to be employed in any subsequent study
2. Description Describe situations and events through scientific observation Descriptive studies answer questions of what, where, when, and
how
3. Explanation Explain observed phenomenon in relation to sociological theories Explanatory studies answer questions of why
How to Design a Research Project
1. Define the purpose of your projectexploratory, descriptive, or explanatory?
How to Design a Research Project
1. Define the purpose of your projectexploratory, descriptive, or explanatory?
2. Determine whom or what to studydevelop a research question or object of inquiry
How to Design a Research Project
1. Define the purpose of your projectexploratory, descriptive, or explanatory?
2. Determine whom or what to studydevelop a research question or object of inquiry
3. Collect empirical dataethnography, survey, experimental, historical, ?
How to Design a Research Project
1. Define the purpose of your projectexploratory, descriptive, or explanatory?
2. Determine whom or what to studydevelop a research question or object of inquiry
3. Collect empirical dataethnography, survey, experimental, historical, ?
4. Analyze the data
How to Design a Research Project
1. Define the purpose of your projectexploratory, descriptive, or explanatory?
2. Determine whom or what to studydevelop a research question or object of inquiry
3. Collect empirical dataethnography, survey, experimental, historical, ?
4. Analyze the data
5. Report your findings in relation to what we think we know
Scientific inquiry involves:
1 2 3 4
2% 2%
94%
3%
1. making observations
2. interpreting what you’ve observed
3. both of the above
4. none of the above
Unit of Analysis (what or whom is being studied)
Individuals Students, voters, parents, children, Catholics
Unit of Analysis (what or whom is being studied)
Individuals Students, voters, parents, children, Catholics
Groups Gang members, families, married couples, friendship
groups
Unit of Analysis (what or whom is being studied)
Individuals Students, voters, parents, children, Catholics
Groups Gang members, families, married couples, friendship
groups Organizations
Corporations, social organizations, colleges
Unit of Analysis (what or whom is being studied)
Individuals Students, voters, parents, children, Catholics
Groups Gang members, families, married couples, friendship
groups Organizations
Corporations, social organizations, colleges Social Interactions
Telephone calls, dances, online chat rooms, fights
Unit of Analysis (what or whom is being studied)
Individuals Students, voters, parents, children, Catholics
Groups Gang members, families, married couples, friendship
groups Organizations
Corporations, social organizations, colleges Social Interactions
Telephone calls, dances, online chat rooms, fights Social Artifacts
Social Artifact – any product of social beings or their behavior.
If a researcher is interested in studying the effects of different training regimens on a team’s performance, the unit of analysis in this study is
1 2 3 4 5
3%
51%
12%
34%
1%
1. the team member.
2. the team.
3. the coach.
4. the different training regimens.
5. the researcher’s perception of performance.
The Logic of Comparison Most sociological studies involve comparisons
Experimental studies involve treatment/control groups in which an independent variable is typically manipulated to observe its effect on a dependent variable
Non-experimental studies typically compare the effects of some independent variable(s) on some dependent variable It is critical to observe variation in both the independent variable
(e.g., race, gender, parenthood, social class, years of schooling, period, cohort) and the dependent variable (e.g., income, employment, promotion)
A _____ is an empirical relationship between two variables such that changes in one are associated with changes in the other.
1 2 3 4
1% 4%
90%
5%
1. momothetic explanation
2. regression analysis
3. correlation
4. spurious relationship
A _____ represents a condition that, if present, guarantees the effect in question.
1 2 3 4 5
0% 0% 0%0%
100%1. hypothesis
2. sufficient cause
3. practical issue
4. necessary cause
5. dependent variable
Necessary and Sufficient Causes A necessary cause represents a condition that must
be present for the effect to follow.
A sufficient cause represents a condition that, if it is present, guarantees the effect in question.
Most satisfying outcome in research includes both necessary and sufficient causes.
Questions?
