More Related Content Similar to How to do research Similar to How to do research (20) How to do research1. Writing Research Reports
How to do Research
Slides by Dan Cavanaugh
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2. What is a Valid
Sociological Topic?
Macro - Broad Matters
Micro - Individualistic
Matters
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3. Common Sense and the
Need for Research
What Everyone Knows
May Not Be True
Move Beyond Guesswork
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4. A Research Model
Selecting a Topic
Defining a Problem
Reviewing the Literature
Formulating a Hypothesis
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5. A Research Model
Choosing a Research
Method
Collecting Data
Analyzing Results
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7. Research Methods
Surveys
Selecting a Sample
Random Sample
Stratified Random Sample
Asking Neutral Questions
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8. Research Methods
Questionnaires
Self-Administered
Allow the Largest
Sample
Low Cost
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9. Research Methods
Interviews
More Researcher Control
Time Consuming
Interviewer Bias
Structured Interviews
Unstructured Interviews
Establishing Rapport
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10. Research Methods
Participant Observation
Researcher Participates
Problems with
Generalizability
Done for Exploratory
Work
Generates Hypotheses
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11. Research Methods
Case Studies
Focus on Single
Event
Situation
Individual
Reveals Detail
Problem with
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12. Research Methods
Secondary Analysis
Analyze Data
Collected by Others
Researcher Cannot
Be Sure of Data
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13. Research Methods
Documents
Examine Books,
Newspapers, Diaries,
etc.
Limited Scope
Cannot Study Topic
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14. Research Methods
Experiments
Experimental Group
Control Group
Independent Variables
Dependent Variables
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16. Research Methods
Unobtrusive Measures
Observe People
Without Them
Knowing
Question of Ethics
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17. Deciding Which
Method to Use
Access to Resources
Access to Subjects
Purpose of Research
Researcher’s Background
and Training Chapter 5: How Sociologists Do Research
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18. Deciding Which
Method to Use
Quantitative Research
Methods
Emphasis on Precise
Measurement
Uses Statistics and
Numbers
Qualitative Research
Methods
Emphasis on Observing,
Describing, and
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Chapter 5: How Sociologists Do Research 18
19. How Not to do
Research
Choose Biased Sample
Ask Biased Questions
List Biased Choices
Discard Undesirable
Results
Misunderstand Subjects
World
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20. Controversy in Research
Poke into Private
Areas of Lives
Threatens Those
with a Stake
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21. Ethics in Sociological
Research
Openness, Honesty, and
Truthfulness
Forbids Falsifying Results
Condemns Plagiarism
Subjects’ Informed
Consent
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22. How Research and Theory
Work Together
Neither Research nor
Theory can Stand Alone
Theories Must Be Tested
Findings Must be
Explained with Theory
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23. Thank you for your
Slides by Dan Cavanaugh
Patience.
This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law:
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preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images;
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