Sociologists Doing Research Chapter 2 – Page 37 Read Introduction Sociologists Doing Research

Activity – Getting Used to Statistics Guess how much has changed from 1900 to 2000! __________ times as many adults are getting high school degrees _________ percent of all American homes have telephones, electricity, and a flush toilet

Questions Ctn. 3. Accidental deaths have decreased by _________. 4. Wages in the manufacturing sector are _________ times greater. 5. Average household assets are ________ times greater. 6. The average work-week is ________ percent shorter.

Questions Ctn. 7. The air we breathe is _______ percent cleaner/dirtier. 8. More than _________ of Americans have at least one automobile, VCR, microwave oven, air conditioner, cable television, washer, and dryer.

Answers 4 98 % 61% 7 30% 98% 70%

Section 1 – Research Methods Read Page 38 – Section Preview

Have any of you been part of a survey Have any of you been part of a survey? Either as the interviewer or interviewee?

Doing Research Goal: Test common sense assumptions and replace false ideas with facts and evidence 2 methods Quantitative (survey and precollected data) Uses numerical data Qualitative Uses narrative and descriptive data

Worksheet Assignment

Survey Research Survey – Research method in which people respond to questions How to write a survey or questionnaire https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=SsZySk Z8bRo

An Effective Survey A Population – Is a group of people with certain specified characteristics a researcher wants to study Examples: All high school seniors in the United States All married couples in Washington State All retired postal workers in Connecticut The number of freshmen who buy yearbooks

An Effective Survey Ctn. Why would it be difficult to collect information from a whole population? You need a sample: A group of people that represent a larger population Representative sample A sample that accurately reflects the characteristics of the population as a whole Read Example on page 39

An Effective Survey Ctn.

Ways to Get a Representative Sample Random or chance selection https://www.random.org/lists/

Ways to do a Survey Questionnaire Interview Written set of questions that survey participants answer by themselves Interview Where a trained researcher asks questions and records the answers

Closed v. Open Closed-ended questions Open-ended questions Questions a person must answer by choosing from a limited, predetermined set of responses Open-ended questions Questions a person is to answer in his or her own words

Closed-ended Questions Advantages and Disadvantages What are they? – Page 41

Secondary Analysis Using precollected information for data collection and research purposes Sources: Government reports Company Records Voting Lists Prison Records Other reports U.S. Department of Labor and Census Bureau

Field Research Research that takes place in a natural (nonlaboratory) setting Examples: High school cliques and jocks Case Study A thorough investigation of a single group, incident, or community Example: Study of drug use in Chicago – can be generalized to similar situations

LAST SLIDE  Participant Observation A case study where the researcher becomes a member of the group being studied Example: Page 42

Project Brainstorm some topics/ideas for a survey you and a partner could do in the school on teachers or students

Mr. R’s Incredibly Lame Survey http://goo.gl/forms/noS4p6oCaj

Project Deadline October 5

What are some causes of Crime????

Section 2 – Causation in Science Read Section Preview on page 50

The Nature of Causation Causation Definition: The belief that events occur in predictable ways and that one event leads to another Sociologists look for the factors that cause social events to happen What did our first example about crime prove? Multiple Causation The belief that an event occurs as a result of several factors working in combination Read page 50 – Multiple Causation

Variables and Correlations A characteristic that is subject to change 4 kinds: Quantitative Examples: Income, density, literacy rate, etc. Qualitative A characteristic that is defined by its presence or absence in a category Examples: Sex, marital status, group membership etc.

Variables and Correlations Ctn. Independent Variable A characteristic that causes something to occur Dependent variable A characteristic that reflects a change Example: Time spent studying for a test = independent Score on the test/grade = dependent Intervening variable A variable that changes the relationship between an independent and a dependent variable

Correlation Definition: A measure of how things are related to one another May be positive or negative – see page 52

IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!! !! The existence of a correlation does not necessarily mean a cause-and-effect relationship exists! Example on page 53

Example Ice cream consumption is directly related to higher crime True or False? Actually, crime rates do rise in the summer and people consume more ice cream in the summer Why is this NOT causation or multiple causation? What factors contribute to high crime rates during the summer months?

Activity With a partner write a number of if, then statements. Assuming one cause, one effect

Standards for Showing Causation – Read page 53 Two variables must be correlated All other possible factors must be taken into account A change in the independent variable must occur before a change in the dependent variable can occur Spurious Correlation A relationship between two variables that is actually caused by a third factor

Go Over Handout/Worksheet

Section 3 – Procedures for Doing Research Read Section Preview on page 58

Scientific Method The recognition and formulation of a problem, the collection of data through observation and experiment, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses

Steps for Doing Research – Page 58 Identify the Problem Review the Literature Formulate Hypotheses Develop a Research Design Collect Data Analyze Data State Findings and Conclusions

Reading Time Read Ethics in Social Research – pages59 - 61

What’s Unethical? After a field study of deviant behavior during a riot, law enforcement officials demand that the researcher identify those people who were observed looting. Rather than risk arrest as an accomplice after the fact, the researcher complies. Answer: Protecting the subjects’ rights to privacy

What’s Unethical? A research questionnaire is circulated among students as part of the university registration packet. Although students are not told they must complete the questionnaire, the hope is that they will believe they must – thus ensuring a higher completion rate Answer: Not being truthful in reporting and disclosing methods

What’s Unethical? Researchers obtain a list of right-wing radicals they wish to study. They contact the radicals with the explanation that each has been selected “at random” from among the general population to take a sampling of “public opinion.” Answers: Protecting the freedom and privacy of research subjects. Not being truthful

Work Time