SR - Sociological Research Overview

Sociological Research Overview

THE "father of Sociology," August Comte, declared that society could be studied scientifically. He employed scientific steps to gather evidence upon which he relied to empirically support his behavioral theories. Comte's method became known as Positivism and the foundation for sociological research for many years. But as is the case in most academic fields, eventually students rise up to challenge "old-fashioned" ideas. Without completely rejecting the role of science, and in particular- the scientific method, new methods to conducting behavioral studies and interpreting results emerged. Now, most sociologists choose between the three major theoretical perspectives discussed in the last module. But they do more than that— they ask how their conclusions should be used. Should their studies be defined as Interpretive or Critical or Positivist Sociological research? Regardless of the answer, all sociological studies are still defined within a specific academic description. The United States National Science Foundation has declared Sociology to be a scientific discipline. As such, no matter which theoretical approach a sociologist adheres to, his or her research follows a prescribed set of steps known as the Scientific Method. All sociologists, no matter their theoretical predispositions or their hopes for the use of their conclusions, follow these five steps:

Define the problem to study.
Review the literature relevant to the topic of study.
Formulate a hypothesis regarding the problem and variables being studied.
Choose and employ one or more research design methods. Collect and analyze data from these methods.
Develop a conclusion based on the results of the research.

In this module, you will be learning about the different research orientations sociologists use and how they each employ the scientific method to observe, describe, analyze and predict patterns of social behavior within the guidelines of their professional code of ethics. Essentially, you are going to learn how to "do" sociology.

Essential Questions

What are the three research orientations of sociology?
How are they similar and different?
What methods are used by sociologists to conduct their research?
What are ways to distinguish great sociological research from mediocre sociological research?
How do the American Sociological Association's principles on ethics guide sociological research?

Key Terms

Case Study - a study that relies on a single case rather than a population or sample and allows for detailed observations that can extend for a longer time period (research method)
Cause and Effect - a relationship in which change in one variable causes change in another; also referred to as causation
Concept - a mental construct that identifies a part of our social world in a basic form; i.e. family, gender, social class, race
Control - the holding constant of all variables except the one to be investigated in order to get a clear picture of a variable's role in a study
Correlation - a relationship in which two (or more) variables change together
Critical Sociology - an activist research orientation that focuses on the need for social change
Cross-sectional Research - a study of a sample population of different ages who have the same trait/characteristic of interest at a single time (research design)
Cross-sequential Research - a study of a cross-sectional sample population more than once over a specified period of time- combines the cross-sectional with the longitudinal (research design)
Deductive Logical Thought - reasoning that transforms general theory into specific hypotheses suitable for testing
Dependent Variable - the variable in a study that changes as a result of manipulation of the independent variable by the researcher
Empirical Evidence - a source of knowledge acquired by means of observation or experimentation; information we can verify with our senses
Experiment - a test, trial or tentative procedure done for the purpose of discovering something unknown or of testing a principle or supposition under highly controlled conditions (research method)
Hawthorne Effect - a change in a subject's behavior brought about by the awareness of being watched
Hypothesis - a proposition to explain the phenomenon
Independent Variable - the variable in a study that causes the change that is controlled by the researcher
Inductive Logical Thought - reasoning that transforms specific observations into a general theory
Interpretive Sociology - a subjective research orientation that focuses on the meanings people attach to their social world
Interview - a meeting for obtaining information by questioning a person or persons (research method)
Longitudinal Research - a study of the same sample population repeatedly over a specified period of time (research design)
Objectivity - neutrality while conducting a study
Operational Definition - the statement of exactly what is to be measured prior to assigning value to a variable in a sociological study
Participant Observation - a research method in which investigators systematically observe people while joining them in their routine activities (research method)
Population - the people who are the focus of research Inductive
Positivist/Scientific Sociology - an objective research orientation based on the gathering of empirical evidence to draw conclusions about social behavior
Qualitative - pertaining to or concerned with qualities, traits, or characters; qualitative data is often reported in narrative form
Quantitative - pertaining to or concerned with quantities, portions, or amounts: quantitative data is often reported in numerical form (charts, graphs, etc.)
Questionnaire - a list of questions submitted for replies that can be analyzed for useful information (research method)
Reliability - consistency in measurements within a study
Research Design - a systematic plan for conducting research
Research Ethics - a value system adopted by researchers designed to protect the subjects of a study, the authenticity of the study, and the profession overall
Research Method - the systematic procedure for studying a problem
Sample - a part of a population that represents the whole
Scientific Method - a method of research in which a problem is identified, relevant data gathered, a hypothesis formulated and the hypothesis is empirically tested
Secondary Analysis - the practice of analyzing data that have already been gathered by someone else, often for a distinctly different purpose (research method)
Spurious Correlation - an apparent but false relationship in which two (or more) variables change together
Survey - a sampling or partial collection of facts, figures, or opinions taken via questionnaire or oral interview and used to approximate or indicate what a complete collection and analysis might reveal (research method)
Validity - measuring exactly what is intended to be measured in a study
Variable - something that may or does vary; a concept whose value changes from case to case; i.e. using social class as the concept, upper class/middle class/ lower class would be the variables

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