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UW-Madison SOC 357 - Writing a Research Report - The Basics

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11/12/20091Writing a Research Report: The Basics• Where do research reports come from?– The incremental development from initial results to polished product. The importance of peer contribution.•Who reads social science research?Who reads social science research?– The importance of writing to your audience. Especially when writing for general audiences.• What is the importance of any one report or paper?– The continual process of building knowledge. Few “revolutionary” breakthroughs as in natural science.– Importance of recognizing intellectual debt.Writing a Research Report: Organization1. Purpose and overview –motivate your research2. Review of literature –situate your research3. Study design – hypotheses, data collection, method of analysismethod of analysis4. Analysis and interpretation –the “core” of the report5. Recognize limitations6. Summary and Conclusions –what do we now know? What don’t we know?1. Define your ObjectiveA. What are you going to study? • Limit yourself to a very specific question or set of questions.BWhy is this question important?B.Why is this question important?i.e, Who cares?C. Is your objective descriptive or explanatory?• This is actually very difficult – especially for new researchers.11/12/20092Purpose and overview: An Example• To examine the relationship between increasing economic independence for women and age at first marriage. • Describe large changes in age at marriage• Discuss implications for family formation• Emphasize importance as a reflection of women’s changing roles in society.2. Background• What does theory/conventional wisdom suggest?– Recognize possibility of different theoretical expectations• What do previous analyses suggest?– i.e., which explanation(s) are supported by existing evidence?• What are limitations of previous analyses?– Sample (e.g., only whites)– Data (e.g., only cross‐sectional)Review of Literature: An Example• Discuss alterative theoretical explanations– Functionalist (economic)– Conflict theory (feminist)Other (career establishment?)–Other (career establishment?)• What do previous analyses suggest?(i.e., which explanation(s) are supported by existing evidence?)• What are limitations of previous analyses?11/12/200933. Study Design  Conceptualization– Specify the meaning of concepts or variables to be studied (example: marital status and health) Describe research method – GSS data, your own survey, other dataWh t i l?Wh i thi it?–What is your sample? Why is this appropriate?– Why is this method more appropriate than others? Operationalization– How are the variables actually measured? State hypotheses (if any) Describe methods of analysis (discuss causality, spurious correlations, etc.)Study Design (1): An Example• Describe data– (e.g., nationally representative survey of 5,000 women aged 18‐34 in 1990, interviewed again every year)every year).• Describe variables (e.g., marriage and wage income, by age).• State hypotheses• Describe methodsStudy Design (2): An Example• Hypotheses:1. Higher earnings is associated with a lower likelihood of ever marrying (from functionalist and conflict theories)and conflict theories).2. Higher earnings is associated with later , but not less, marriage (career‐entry theory)• Methods– Examine relationship between earnings and marriage at all ages.11/12/200944: Analysis and Interpretation• Present findings– Charts, tables, figures– Describe• Interpretation– What do findings say about your hypotheses? Supportive or not?– If not, what is possible alternative explanation?Analysis and Interpretation: An Example• Main Finding :– Higher earnings is associated with a lower likelihood of marrying only at young ages. Earnings is actually positively related to marriage at older ages (e.g., 28+)It tti•Interpretation– Economically independent women marry later than other women, but no difference in likelihood of ever marrying (i.e., they “catch up”).– Not consistent with predictions of functionalist or feminist theories.– More consistent with career‐entry explanation.5: Recognize Limitations &Potential Problems• Potential measurement problemsa) Sample ‐ generalizabilityb) Number of observations – confidencec) Conceptualization and operationalization ‐validity d) Social desirabilitye) Omitted variables biasf) Sample selection bias (not such a problem with GSS data)11/12/20095Summary and Conclusion• Restate what was done• Restate what was found• Restate interpretation• Clarify theoretical significanceeg marriage not disappearing but nature of marital–e.g., marriage not disappearing but nature of marital bargain appears to be changing• State limitations– e.g., only one measure of economic status, no consideration of other factors, etc.• Suggest direction for future research– how can limitations of your study be addressed?– what interesting questions does your study


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UW-Madison SOC 357 - Writing a Research Report - The Basics

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