Group “Work” for Unobtrusive ResearchUnobtrusive ResearchPowerPoint PresentationSlide 4Content AnalysisManifest Content CodingLatent Content CodingStrengths of Content AnalysisWeaknesses of Content AnalysisAnalyzing Existing StatisticsHistorical/Comparative AnalysisSlide 12Group “Work” for Unobtrusive ResearchDescribe an appropriate use for unobtrusive research. List some advantages of unobtrusive research.Distinguish between latent and manifest content.Unobtrusive Research Studying social life without affecting the it in the process Studying social life without affecting the it in the processUnobtrusive research methods can be quantitative or qualitative. These methods allow researchers to study things from afar without influencing the process. This can eliminate or minimize many of the threats to the validity of research, including reactivity and social desirability bias.One common way to conduct unobtrusive research is to analyze available records or events, characteristics or behaviors. Three common methods of using available records are: content analysis analyzing existing statistics historical/comparative analysisContent AnalysisStudying human social life through the examination of artifactsCommon artifacts for analysis include magazine ads, books, television shows, bathroom graffiti, trashSame approach as with any research project:Definition of interest(s) and problem, conceptualization, operationalizingDevelopment of means by which you’ll collect the data Sampling design Data collection and analysis.Manifest Content CodingAnalogous to survey data collectionEstablish variables and attributes – record what is present in each artifact – ready for data entryClarify units of analysis and observationEstablish a base of counting for comparisonGenerally code a sample of all editorials so you have a base for comparing to your findings about environmental editorials.Latent Content CodingAnalogous to analysis of qualitative dataLook for the meaning underlying signs, symbols, languagesubjective interpretationYou may begin inductively; looking for themesStrengths of Content AnalysisTime and money savingsSafety net – can return to source to recheck dataOne mechanism for longitudinal analysisUnobtrusive – research won’t contaminate research settingWeaknesses of Content AnalysisLimited to recorded communicationPotential for excellent reliabilityCheck and recheck sourceValidity varies based partially on whether you are coding latent or manifest contentAnalyzing Existing StatisticsAs backdrop to a study As the main data to a study Validity; Have to make due with the types of data provided; logic and replication help with dealing with validity problemsReliability; Depend on the quality of the data itselfHow was the data collected?Historical/Comparative AnalysisMuch of the classic sociological work involves historical/comparative analysisMarx, Weber, Durkheim, Comte, Martineau, Du BoisSources of data; usually a qualitative data analysis process, but not alwaysExisting historical accounts and analysisRaw data such as diaries, newspapers, magazines, public documentsValidity of DataQuestion the accuracy of documents; triangulate (corroborate)Is the source of your data perhaps biased in some
View Full Document