Methods of Social Research Midterm Study Guide 1 PROCESS OF SOCIAL RESEARCH General Order of Research Process 1 Choose Hypothesis 2 Formulate Research Design 3 Data Collection 4 Coding and Data Analysis 5 Interpret Results Elements of the Social Research Process Literature Review Concepts and embedded in Theories Research Questions Data Collection Data Analysis Disseminating Findings or Writing up the Research Sampling Research Question Ideas that imply a researchable relationship between variables guides your research and decisions predicts an outcome explains consequences or evaluates describes X to Y Ingredients in Writing Social Research Flow of Academic Journals Introduction outline of research area Literature Review critical review about what is known o To know the concepts theories controversies o To help formulate the hypothesis Research Methods how sampling and data is collected Results presentation of findings Discussion findings discussed in relation to research questions Conclusion significance of research RESEARCH STRATEGIES RESEARCH THEORIES Social Theory a way of organizing facts and summarizing patterns an explanation of how the data facts relate 1 Grand Theory Abstract difficult to test social world view 2 Mid Range Theory Area specific easy to test Existing Literature can act as a theory because it can resolve inconsistencies and gaps can present new ideas and methods can inform you of the hypothesis Deductive Research Theory Hypothesis Data Empirical Generalizations Quantitative Testing of Theory Inductive Research Data Empirical Generalizations Theory Hypothesis Qualitative Generation of Theory RESEARCH DESIGN HYPOTHESES VALIDITY RELIABILITY Research Design research methods within research design a structure that guides the execution of a research method and analysis of data 1 Experimental manipulate the I V in a Classical Experimental Design 2 Cross Sectional represents single moment in time Quantifiable Data Has strong Internal Validity a Lab and Quasi Experiments Low internal but High External Validity a Survey Design 3 Longitudinal Follows participants over time and collects data multiple times i Panel Study Random sample nationally representative data collected twice or more ii Cohort Study Follows group of people that share common characteristic 4 Case Studies interested in specific group or community 5 Comparative Comparing two cases using identical methods Reliability Are results repeatable Are measures consistent Results are comparable Inter Observer Reliability Validity 1 Measurement Construct data really reflect or measure the concept being studied Internal Causality IS X causing Y 2 3 External can your results be tested generalized beyond the sample and research setting 4 Ecological Is this applicable to the real world Hypothesis An informed speculation that can be tested about the relationship between two or more variables Know Example Methods of Social Research Midterm Study Guide 3 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH AND VARIABLES Process of Conducting Quantitative Research 1 Theory Prior Work 2 Hypothesis 3 Choose Research Design 4 Devise Measures of Concepts 5 Select Research Sites a Select subject and collect data 6 Enter Claim Process Data 7 Analyze Data 8 Draw out findings and Conclusions 9 Write Research Generalizability Useful for assessing the reliability of performance assessments if generalized research can be taken from sample to population and beyond its original context Generalization Theory tests reliability so that findings can be generalized to other cases Operationalization Measuring concepts were interested in EX Concept Socioeconomic Status Operationalization Education Income and Occupational Prestige IV Independent Variable indicator influence impact affect DV Dependent Variable the effect IV Socioeconomic Status in relation to DV Health Casual Relationship Between Variables Casualty 1 Correlation Relationships exists between variables 2 Temporality cause must come before effect IV DV 3 Non Spuriousness true relation between variables exist Levels of Measurement for Variables Nominal variation in quantity not amount o Gender Race Political Affiliation Ordinal Logical or rank order o Likert Scale Strongly Agree Agree Strongly Disagree Interval Ratio Numbers of measurable distance o Weight Age SAMPLING Why Sample Can t study the whole population because it s too large We must get a representation of the population Basic Terms and Concepts Census data collected from entire population Population where sample is selected nation city families Sample segment of the population selected for investigation Sampling Frame list of all units in the population Representation Sample Accurately represents the population Non Sampling Error Non response Probability Sample using random selection lower risk of sampling error Sample Bias distortion of the representation of sample Sampling Error error due to difference to sample and population bias 1 Simple Random each selection has equal probability of selection 2 Systematic selects units directly from sampling frame 3 Stratified Random categorize population into strata randomly select from there 4 Multi Stage Cluster Groups Subgroups Selection Non Probability Sample not using random selection a State City School Students 1 Convenience Sampling easy access 2 Snowball Initial contact is with a small group then info is referred to others group a When studying small proportion of population specific 3 Quota Market Research and Opinion Polls a Cheap quick Easy b Interviewers select people to fit their quota i Bias and underrepresentation occurs COLLECTING QUANTITATIVE DATA CONDUCTING SURVEY RESEARCH Survey Research information collected from a sample of individuals through Survey Data Collection most common form of Quantifiable Data Collection Advantages versatility efficiency generalizability a Structured Interviews or via trained interviewer b Self Completing Questionnaire Bad Survey Questions Methods of Social Research Midterm Study Guide 5 1 Ambiguous Confusing Wording a Residential Location 2 Double Negatives a Do you disagree that there shouldn t be a tax increase a Do you think Obama should be impeached and told to leave 3 Double Barreled presidency 4 Minimize Bias 5 Leading Questions a Welfare vs Assistance to the poor a Shouldn t we or Isn t it time for Survey Questions Response Categories Exhaustive All answers given cover the entire realm of possible outcomes Mutually Exclusive two events are mutually