Social Research Methods - Exam 4

Field Research

involves collecting data outside of a laboratory or controlled environment, often through direct observation or interaction with subjects.

Thick Description

\a method of data presentation that provides detailed context and understanding of social phenomena.

Key Informant

an individual with specialized knowledge or insight about a particular community or topic, used to inform research.

Grounded Theory

a methodology in which theories are generated based on data collected during research, rather than testing existing theories.

Defocusing

refers to shifting attention away from dominant themes or assumptions in research to explore other perspectives.

Gatekeepers

Individuals or organizations that control access to research subjects or settings.

Going Native

A researcher becomes so involved in the community being studied that it affects their objectivity.

Deviant Cases Sampling

involves deliberately selecting cases that are atypical or different to challenge existing theories.

Negative Evidence

refers to data that contradicts or challenges existing theories or assumptions.

Unobtrusive or Nonreactive Research

studying subjects without their awareness or involvement, reducing the impact of researcher influence.

Erosion Measures

assess changes in an area or phenomenon over time, often by comparing past and present conditions.

• things that get blurred away

Accretion Measures

evaluate the accumulation of materials or evidence in a given area over time.

• Things we leave behind

Content Analysis

a research method used to analyze the content of communication

Existing Statistics

pre-collected data that can be used for analysis without the need for new data collection.

Secondary Data Analysis

the process of analyzing data that was collected by someone else, often for a different purpose.

Big Data

large and complex data sets that require advanced data processing and analytical techniques.

Manifest & Latent Coding

Manifest coding involves categorizing visible and obvious data, whereas latent coding interprets underlying meanings.

Coding or Tally Sheets

tools used to systematically record and categorize data during analysis.

Replication

the process of repeating a study to verify results or findings.

Measures of Association

statistical tools used to determine the relationship between two variables.

Chi Square

a statistical method used to determine if there is a significant association between categorical variables.

Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient

measures the strength and direction of the linear relationship between two continuous variables.

p < .05

indicates a statistically significant result, meaning the likelihood that the observed effect is due to chance is less than 5%.

Contingency Tables

used to display the frequency distribution of variables and analyze their relationships.

Bivariate Analyses

examine how two variables are related

Multivariate Analyses

examine relationships among three or more variables at the same time

Null Hypothesis

a statement asserting that there is no effect or relationship between variables, used as a baseline for statistical testing.

Crosstab

a type of table that displays the relationship between two categorical variables.

Computer-Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis

involves using software tools to manage, analyze, and interpret qualitative data.

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research

Qualitative research focuses on understanding concepts and experiences through detailed, rich narratives, while quantitative research emphasizes numerical data and statistical analysis.

Latent coding

Interprets Underlying message

Manifest coding

involves categorizing visible and obvious data

Quantitative research

emphasizes numerical data and statistical analysis.

Qualitative research

focuses on understanding concepts and experiences through detailed, rich narratives