Research Methods in Sociology - Exam 1

Why do we not say things deterministically?

Why do we not say things deterministically?

Because that wouldn’t be an accurate statement. Something raises the possibility, but doesn’t ensure it

What are the 5 errors in inquiry?

Inaccurate Observations, Overgeneralization, Selective Observation, Illogical reasoning, Resistance to Change

Inaccurate Observations

Recalling information incorrect

Overgeneralization

General conclusion from specific people

Selective Observation

Ignoring things that don’t fit our world view

Illogical Reasoning

Abandoning logic (ex: the exception proves the rule)

Resistance to Change

Not updating findings with new information

Theory Testing

Deductive, starting with theories and then observations

Theory Building

Inductive, starting with observations and then theories

T/F: Most research doesn’t have both

FALSE - Most research DOES have both

What are bad research questions?

Lack detail, relationships, not specific, aren’t feasible (possible)

What are good research questions?

Feasible, shows relations, specific

What does an abstract have?

Background, Conclusion, summary of findings, summary of methods used

Google Scholar

Scholarly search engine that helps us find trustworthy articles

How to you go backwards on Google Scholar?

Use “references”

How do you go forward on Google Scholar?

Use “Cited by”

T/F: If you paraphrase, you don’t need to cite

FALSE - You always need to cite if the words are not your own. Quote if it is taken verbatim

What does ASA stand for?

American Sociological Association

How do you cite ASA (American Sociological, Association)?

• (Last Name, First Name Year) ; (First Name 2, Last Name 2 Year 2)

• Different citations use semi-colons, not commas

• 3 or more authors? Use et al. to cite rest

  • (Last, First Year ; First, Last Year; First Last Year ; et al.)

T/F: AI is allowed under specific conditions

TRUE - It has to be disclosed, accurate, and allowed by the publisher. It needs all 3 attributes to be allowed

T/F - You don’t need consent when you are observing an area that has no expectation of privacy

TRUE - You don’t need permission if privacy is not expected. Think playgrounds

What does IRB stand for?

Institutional Review Board

What does the Institutional Review Board (IRB) do?

They look at the ethics of a case and review it for rejection/approval

T/F - You can deceive in research

TRUE - You are allowed to deceive. The IRB determines how much

Hawthorne Effect

You change research results when people know you are watching

Anonymity

No one knows who you are, even the researcher

Confidentiality

The researcher knows who you are, but readers/listeners do not

What is an example of anonymity and confidentiality?

An online survey. The researcher doesn’t know who you are and neither will the audience

T/F - When things are anonymous, they are usually confidential

TRUE - it is almost impossible to find an example of this being false

T/F - When things are confidential, they are not always anonymous

TRUE - Just because you choose not to share the partcipant’s name doesn’t mean you don’t know it

Danger of “cause”

Sometimes things look related, but are not. When you say “cause” you eliminate all other possibilities

Units of Analysis

Who or what is being studied

Organizations

Usually corporations, but any formal institution (Schools, clubs, etc)

Ecological Fallacy

Drawing conclusions about individuals from group observations

What are the false criteria for nomothetic casualty?

Complete causation, exceptional cases, majority cases

Complete causation

Doesn’t have to be the entire diver of the outcome

Time in Ethnography

Observing things as they occur

Cross-Sectional

One point in time

Longitudinal

Over time

T/F - When using cross-sectional/longitudinal research, you must study the same group

FALSE - You may conduct the study on different people

What are the 3 units of nomothetic causality?

Correlation, temporal ordering, spuriousness

Correlation

One thing that changes with another

Temporal Ordering

The cause has to come before the result

Spuriousness

You think 2 things are related, but it is a third cause affecting both

ex: the bigger the foot, the better the math skill. However, age is the third factor

Necessary Cause

Has to be present

Sufficient Cause

If it is there, it will affect something

T/F - Keep bias

FALSE - Erase bias and keep an open mind

Reflectivity

Not letting subjective bias enter

Grounded Theory

Theory building starts with observations

Extended Case Method

Start with a theory and pick a case or tow to examine long held theoretical beliefs

Snowball Sampling

Using people you have to get more interviewees

Outsider

No knowledge of the group, never have been apart of the group

Insider

Has knowledge of the group, potentially ex member of community/group/org/etc

Overt

The subjects know you are observing

Covert

The subjects do NOT know you are observing

Observer

No participating, fly on the wall

Particpant

You are changing outcomes and are directly particiating

Macro

Who, what, where you observe

Groups and Cliques

Few people that interact over time w/membership criteria

Organizations

Consciously formed, formal goals, planned fashion

Settlements and Habitats

Defined social territory

Social Worlds

Where groups frequent

Subcultures and Lifestyles

Mix of behaviors/norms that distinguish (non)members

Micro

Be on lookout

Practices

Routine/unremarkable to the observed

Episodes

Remarkable for both parties

Encounters

hat happens when 2+ people come together

Roles and Social Types

Categories of people

Social and Personal Relationships

How the roles provide expectations in interactions

When does data analysis occur?

During data collection

Are interview guides static? Why?

No, they change as you learn

When do you write field notes?

Immediately after you observe

T/F - You want single word interview responses

FALSE - you want as much detail as possible. Probe them

What is a good way to ensure probes?

Build them in (they usually begin w/ Why)

T/F - In sociology we think probalistically and not deterministically

TRUE

What is the order of the coding process?

Open/initial/focused coding, Axial coding, code memos, operational notes

What should you take from an interview?

Take what is ‘typical"‘

T/F - You should describe everything in an interview

FALSE - You don’t need everything

Social Artifact

Historical written communication (books, transcribed shows, etc)

Latent

Underlying meaning (Qualitative)

Manifest

Occurrence counting (Quantitative)

What are the foundations of social science?

Logic and observation