1Sociology 357 Methods of Sociological Inquiry STUDY GUIDE FOR TEST ONE In general, the exam will focus on material that has been discussed in class, although you will find that the textbook deepens your understanding of major concepts. I will be less interested in rote memory of definitions or details and more in testing whether you really understand the major concepts. Format Multiple choice and true-false questions: 20*1 point each Short answer questions: 5*2 points each Total = 30 points, 20% of grades Readings • Babbie chapters 1, 2, 4-8, 14 • Babbie chapter on causation • Wysocki - Pp. 24-32, 84-100, 104-111, 123-131, 141-153, 159-172, 178-186 • Blocker, T. J. and D. L. Eckberg (1997). "Gender and environmentalism: Results from the 1993 General Social Survey." Social Science Quarterly 78(4): 841-858. • Hemenway, D. (1997). "The Myth of Millions of Annual Self-Defense Gun Uses: A Case Study of Survey Overestimates of Rare Events." Chance 10(3): 6-10. • Kovar, M. G. (2000). "Four Million Adolescents Smoke: Or Do They?" Chance 13(2): 10-14. • Roberts, S. (2001). "Surprises from Self Experimentation." Chance 14(2): 7-14. Topics Common Errors in Inquiry • Inaccurate observation • Overgeneralization • Selective observation • Illogical reasoning Theory and Research • Major theoretical traditions/paradigms (conflict theory, functionalism, symbolic interactionism, rational choice, feminism) • Positivism and interpretivism2• Hypothesis testing • Two logical systems (deduction and induction) Research Design • Unit of Analysis • Time dimension - cross-sectional, longitudinal (repeated cross-sectional, panel) • Trend studies and cohort studies • Prospective studies and retrospective studies Causality in Social Science • Nomothetic causality • Probabilistic causality • Necessary and sufficient causes • Spurious causation • Causal mechanisms • Criteria for identifying causation o Statistical association o Causes come before effects o The observed association is not spurious Causal models • Variables and attributes • Associations (positive, negative, linear, nonlinear) • Arrows and signs • independent and dependent variables • intervening and confounding variables Conceptualization and Operationalization • Concepts (highly abstract) • Dimensions (abstract) • Indicators (most concrete) Indexes and scales • Why construct composite measures like indexes and scales? • Likert scale • Guttman scale • Index and scale construction Levels of measurement • Nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio3Measurement issues • Reliability o Test-retest method o Inter-item reliability o Inter-observer reliability o Alternative-forms reliability • Validity o Face validity o Criterion-related validity o Content validity o Construct validity Quantitative Data Analysis • Categorical and continuous variables • Univariate analysis o Mean o Variance o Proportions • Bivariate analysis o Crosstabulation o Group comparison of means o Correlation Sampling Theory • Sample representation • Probability sampling o Simple random sampling o Systematic sampling o Stratified sampling and Oversampling o Multistage-Cluster sampling • Know when to use stratified sampling and cluster sampling • Probability proportionate to size sampling • Nonprobability sampling o convenience sampling o purposive sampling o quota sampling o snowball sampling • Advantages and disadvantages of various sampling methods Experimental research • Manipulation of treatment • Importance of randomization and matching4• Comparison of experiments and observational studies • Internal validity o common threats to internal validity • External validity o common threats to external validity • Quasi-experiments Statistical inference • Sample statistics as estimates of population parameters • Sampling distribution • Point estimates and interval estimates • Confidence intervals • The relationship between sample size, population variability, and confidence interval Articles we have read for class • Given a short description of the research, be able to recognize major features of the article: independent and dependent variables, type of research, measures of variables, hypothesis being tested, major results, main purpose of research. Questions will be designed to jog your memory enough that they should be testing your understanding of concepts and whether you read the article at all, rather than detailed rote
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