GGR271 - Social Research Methods

social

people and their relations

social research methods

Specific techniques, procedures, and tools used to explore and analyze information related to society and how it is organized

literature review

A study of published sources related to a specific topic, evaluation of literature in the field, integral part of research (helps the proposal and researcher and audience to understand the gap)

preliminary research

see what is already out there, what studies have already been done regarding the specific field

gap in data

could be empirical (data that has yet to be collected), theoretical (bringing new ideas that shape the way data is collected/analyzed), geographic (hasn’t been done HERE), temporal (hasn’t been done recently), and can be related to research purpose

research paradigm

A set of practices and beliefs about research that reflect basic assumptions about

ontology

a type of research paradigm, aims to understand what is in existence, the nature of the social world

epistemology

a type of research paradigm, how can we know what we know? ways of obtaining knowledge about the social world

axiology

a type of research paradigm, why do/should we care?, the purpose of research and what it should be trying to figure out, understanding of ethics and values

positivist

a research paradigm, aim is to discover the facts, quantitative, objective, scientific, realist, empirical, and removes bias

post-positivist

a research paradigm, aim is to explain the causes, most quantitative, theoretically-informed, critical realist, causal representation that are real things you can’t measure exactly (hard to find specific measurements), limited by our senses to understand beyond our world

interpretivist/constructivist

a research paradigm, aim is to understand the constructions, mostly qualitative, intersubjective, relativist, what is the nature of the human experience, understand the construction of the world around us, everything is unique to the individual and you can’t summarize it into one thing

pragmatist

a research paradigm, aim is to find the solutions, practical, ‘whatever works’ - rarely used or accepted, not well connected to theoretical premises

transformative/critical

a research paradigm, aim is to change the world, critical, emancipatory (sometimes) participatory, ‘whatever helps’, increasing freedom and justice for everyone, can include people who are treated unjustly.

ethics

Well-founded standards of right and wrong, The potential benefits of the research should outweigh the foreseeable risks associated with the research,

research question

Focused on a single problem or issue

exploratory sampling

Smaller scale, talking in a more in-depth way, unstudied areas, generating insight without generalizing the population, interesting and extreme examples could illuminate the thing being studied (shows range even if its outside the norm)

representative sampling

• Larger surveys, quantitative, matches the population, results are generalizable 

• Aligned with randomness, but its not the same

probability

• Cross-section from the research population

• Based on statistical theory

• No influence from the researcher on the selection of people/items to be included in the sample

• Probability sampling works best with large sample sizes

• Types 

  • Random, systemic, cluster, multi-stage, stratified

non-probability

• Discretion or choice on the part of the researcher at some point in the selection process

• Occurs when the researcher feels it is not feasible to include a sufficiently large number of participants

  • Less information about the population 

  • May prove exceedingly difficult to contact a sample selected through conventional probability sampling techniques

• Types

  • Purposive, theoretical, snowball, convenience

sampling frame

• A list or database of records that tells you who is in a population

• Best kind are relevant, exactly the people you want to know about, complete, and up to date

• The phonebook, tax brackets, health records (might be unethical lol)

statistical approach

a way to know how big a sample should be, Calculation based on statistical theory and the normal curve distribution of events

pragmatic approach

a way to know how big a sample should be, What works well enough within given resource constraints, Needs to be justified

cumulative approach

a way to know how big a sample should be, Until a point is reached where there is sufficient information and where no benefit is derived from adding any more to the sample (saturation)

research interview

• A method of data collection that uses people’s answers to researchers’ questions as their source of data

  • Used to elicit opinions, feelings, emotions, and experiences, and understand them in depth

• Can be structured, semi-structured, or unstructured

  • Structured is similar to a questionnaire

focus group

• Small groups of people who are brought together by a moderator to explore attitudes and perceptions, feelings and ideas about a specific topic

• 3 distinctive features which mark them out as different from other kinds of interview

  • Focus to the session, with the group discussion being based on an item or experience about which all participants have similar knowledge

• Success depends on a climate of trust within the group

systematic or structured observation

• Research method that uses systemized data collection that aims to produce data that are consistent between observers

  • Linked with the production of quantitative data and the use of statistical analysis 

• type of observation

participant observation

• Method in which the observer participates in the daily life of the people under study, observing things that happen, listening to what is said, and questioning people, over some length of time

  • Normally associated with qualitative data and ethnographic approaches to research

• type of observation

overt

type of observation, Observation in an open and explicit manner

covert

type of observation, Observing undercover and operating secretly