\ Chapter Two Studying Social Life: Sociological Research Methods Quantitative & Qualitative Quantitative Research is numerical and/or statistical in nature. Often tries to find cause-and-effect relationships It refines large amounts of information into rates, percentages, charts, graphs Qualitative Research works with non-numerical data It uses transcripts, photographs, written field notes, recordings, interviews It often tries to understand how people make sense of their world What are some examples of each type of data? Let’s give five examples.. In Education, Criminal Justice, Public Safety, Finances, etc.. The Scientific Approach The Scientific Method is a procedure for acquiring knowledge that emphasizes collecting concrete data through observation and experiment. 1. Identify a problem or ask a question 2. Conduct a literature review 3. Form a hypothesis; give operational definitions to variables 4. Choose a research design or method 5. Collect data 6. Analyze data 7. Disseminate findings Let’s Ask A Questions… Does Violent TV lead to Violent Behavior? Step One: We asked a question Step Two: We read all other research done on the topic (avoid duplicating) Step Three: We identify variables give a hypothesis “Watching violence on TV” is the independent variable “Acting Violently” is the dependent variable (we must define and measure accurately) Step Four: We design the method(s) to test the hypothesis Experiment, survey, interview, participant observation, Step Five: We do the experiment, conduct the survey, interviews, etc. Step Six: We analyze the data collected and review the hypothesis Step Seven: We present at conferences, seminars, & publish our findings, etc.. But what if we’re wrong? Correlation vs. Causation A correlation is a relationship between variables in which they change together, and may or may not be causal. (ice cream sales and violence) Environmental factors, peer groups, media consumption, family, time of year? Causation is a relationship between variables in which a change in one directly produces a change in the other. Drinking and driving kills or Smoking gives people lung cancer There could be an Intervening Variable, a third variable that explains the relationship between two other variables. Example: Warm weather: causes people to be more violent and to eat more ice cream When both variables are influenced by a third variable it is called Spurious Correlation. Can you think of any other seasonal examples where there could be an intervening variable? Choosing the Right Methodology There are a wide range of methods that allow researchers to gather quantitative and qualitative data. Ethnography: Participant Observation, Field Notes, Reflexivity Interviews: Target Population, Informed Consent, Question Format Surveys: Sampling the Population, Likert Scale Existing Sources: Comparative and Historic Methods, Content Analysis Experiments: Control Group, Independent and Dependent Variable ...

1. Chapter Two
Studying Social Life:
Sociological Research Methods
Quantitative & Qualitative
Quantitative Research is numerical and/or statistical in nature.
Often tries to find cause-and-effect relationships
It refines large amounts of information into rates, percentages,
charts, graphs
Qualitative Research works with non-numerical data
It uses transcripts, photographs, written field notes, recordings,
interviews
It often tries to understand how people make sense of their
world
What are some examples of each type of data? Let’s give five
examples..
In Education, Criminal Justice, Public Safety, Finances, etc..
The Scientific Approach
The Scientific Method is a procedure for acquiring knowledge
that emphasizes collecting concrete data through observation
and experiment.
1. Identify a problem or ask a question
2. Conduct a literature review
3. Form a hypothesis; give operational definitions to variables
4. Choose a research design or method

2. 5. Collect data
6. Analyze data
7. Disseminate findings
Let’s Ask A Questions…
Does Violent TV lead to Violent Behavior?
Step One: We asked a question
Step Two: We read all other research done on the topic (avoid
duplicating)
Step Three: We identify variables give a hypothesis
“Watching violence on TV” is the independent variable
“Acting Violently” is the dependent variable (we must define
and measure accurately)
Step Four: We design the method(s) to test the hypothesis
Experiment, survey, interview, participant observation,
Step Five: We do the experiment, conduct the survey,
interviews, etc.
Step Six: We analyze the data collected and review the
hypothesis
Step Seven: We present at conferences, seminars, & publish our
findings, etc..
But what if we’re wrong?
Correlation vs. Causation
A correlation is a relationship between variables in which they
change together, and may or may not be causal. (ice cream sales
and violence)
Environmental factors, peer groups, media consumption, family,
time of year?
Causation is a relationship between variables in which a change
in one directly produces a change in the other.
Drinking and driving kills or Smoking gives people lung cancer
There could be an Intervening Variable, a third variable that

3. explains the relationship between two other variables.
Example: Warm weather: causes people to be more violent and
to eat more ice cream
When both variables are influenced by a third variable it is
called Spurious Correlation.
Can you think of any other seasonal examples where there could
be an intervening variable?
Choosing the Right Methodology
There are a wide range of methods that allow researchers to
gather quantitative and qualitative data.
Ethnography: Participant Observation, Field Notes, Reflexivity
Interviews: Target Population, Informed Consent, Question
Format
Surveys: Sampling the Population, Likert Scale
Existing Sources: Comparative and Historic Methods, Content
Analysis
Experiments: Control Group, Independent and Dependent
Variables
Applying the Concepts: Small Groups
In-class Exercise pg. 49-58
1. Briefly explain grounded theory, in your own words.
2. Briefly explain the difference between a representative
sample and simple random sample in surveys.
3. Use your imagination to create a hypothetical experiment.
The experiment should question the relationship between two
variables and use a control group. What/how would you test
and what would be your independent and dependent variables?
Values, Objectivity, and Reactivity
Value-Free Sociology requires the researcher to identify their

4. own personal bias/beliefs before conducting research.
Cultural-bound Bias, assumptions, and prejudices, must not
interfere with empirical data.
A sociologist must also decide between doing pure research or
basic research, and applying their insights to create change,
known as applied research
Reactivity: the tendency of people and events to react to the
process of being studied.
An excellent example of this is the Hawthorne Effect, where it
is the research and/or researcher influencing outcomes not the
independent variable.
Research Ethics
An institutional review board or IRB plays an important role in
protecting human subjects in sociological research.
A group of scholars within an educational institution who
review and approve research proposals of their colleges and
students.
The American Sociological Association establishes a Code of
Ethics, for how to avoid bias, adhere to professional standards,
and protect respondents from harm.
Although, deception is avoided as often as possible, it is
sometimes required to gain acceptance into the group a
researcher is studying.
Advantages and Disadvantages
20-25 minutes to prepare
The chart of methodology on page 69 is reversed, in-terms of
the advantages and disadvantages.
We will count of by five’s. Each group will have approximately
7 students.
Half of the group will be researchers, the other half will be
presenters. Each presenter should share one advantage and/or

5. disadvantage.
Three-four students will be presenting the correct advantages
and disadvantages for your method. The other students will be
tasked with looking up the correct information and writing it
down. The paper will be read by the presenters, then turned
into the professor. Please make sure everyone’s name is on it.
Evicted by Matthew Desmond
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBT8GGhh2Tg
In addition to the disadvantages and advantages, I’d also like
each group to very briefly discuss how their method was used
by Matthew Desmond.
For each method, I have identified one-two paragraphs
discussing how it is applied. (Except the group on experiments).
The Experiment Group will present the advantages and
disadvantages, but they will also discuss some of the challenges
Matthew Desmond experiences during his research.
Chapter Two Review
Please answer number two and three on page 68. Please write
in complete sentences NO CURSIVE.
For number two, be specific.
For number three, be sure to give a few examples of the
weaknesses of research that relies and social networking sites.