1. SOCIAL SCIENCE INQUIRY MODEL

2. The social science inquiry model consists of 5
stages:
Identify a problem or research question
Develop a hypothesis
Gather data
Analyze data
Draw conclusions

3. Identifying a Problem or Research Question
THE STARTING POINT FOR ALL INQUIRY IS A QUESTION OR A PROBLEM.
A QUESTION/PROBLEM PROVIDES A REASON FOR UNDERTAKING THE INQUIRY AND HELPS TO ESTABLISH A PLAN OF ACTION (How the inquiry will be conducted i.e. research method)
FOR EXAMPLE, A SOCIAL SCIENTIST MIGHT BE WONDERING ABOUT THE INFLUENCE OF VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES ON PEOPLE WHO PLAY THEM.
HE/SHE WOULD FORMULATE A QUESTION: IS THERE A LINK BETWEEN VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES AND YOUTH VIOLENCE?

4. DEVELOP A HYPOTHESIS
A HYPOTHESIS IS A POSSIBLE ANSWER TO A QUESTION AND A STARTING POINT FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION.
A HYPOTHESIS INDICATES WHAT NEEDS TO BE TESTED AND WHICH RESEARCH METHOD TO USE.
THIS STEP IS CRUCIAL BECAUSE WITHOUT A GOOD HYPOTHESIS A RESEARCHER CAN WASTE A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY COLLECTING INFORMATION THAT MIGHT NOT BE RELEVANT TO THE TOPIC.
A GOOD HYP. COULD BE: THERE IS A LINK BETWEEN VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES AND YOUTH VIOLENCE.

6. GATHERING DATA
THE INQUIRER MUST THEN DETERMINE HOW TO GATHER DATA OR INFORMATION.
THE METHOD USED SHOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO THE QUESTION AND HYPOTHESIS.
THERE ARE SEVERAL RESEARCH METHODS THAT A RESEARCHER MIGHT USE INCLUDING CASE STUDIES, SAMPLE SURVEYS, EXPERIMENTS, INTERVIEWS, OBSERVATIONS, ETC…
RESEARCH METHODS CAN BE COMBINED
i.e. surveys + interviews.

7. RESEARCH METHODS
THERE IS A WIDE RANGE OF METHODS THAT CAN BE USED TO GATHER DATA.
THE METHOD(S) CHOSEN WILL DEPEND ON THE QUESTION OR PROBLEM AS WELL AS THE FIELD OF STUDY (ANTHROPOLOGY, PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIOLOGY).
CASE STUDIES
A CASE STUDY IS THE OBSERVATION OF AN INDIVIDUAL, A SITUATION OR A GROUP OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
RESEARCHERS FROM THE THREE DISCIPLINES MIGHT EMPLOY CASE STUDIES DIFFERENTLY.
FOR EXAMPLE, AN ANTHROPOLOGIST MAY STUDY ONE CULTURE OR SUBCULTURE, A SOCIOLOGIST MAY OBSERVE AND INTERVIEW THE STUDENTS OF ONE CLASS, AND A PSYCHOLOGIST MIGHT WORK WITH ONE INDIVIDUAL IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND AND HELP THAT PERSON.
WHY DO WE STUDY ONE EXAMPLE OR CASE? BY STUDYING ONE SITUATION IN DEPTH A LOT OF INFORMATION CAN BE GATHERED AND HYPOTHESES ABOUT SIMILAR SITUATIONS CAN BE DEVELOPED.
THIS MIGHT HELP US TO BETTER UNDERSTAND OTHER INDIVIDUALS, SOCIAL GROUPS OR CULTURES.

8. EXPERIMENTS
AN EXPERIMENT IS CONDUCTED WHEN A RESEARCHER IS TRYING TO DOSCOVER WHY SOMETHING HAPPENS.
THE ESSENCE OF AN EXPERIMENT IS TO DETERMINE HOW ONE FACTOR IS RELATED TO ANOTHER.
COULD ONE FACTOR BE CAUSED BY ANOTHER? WHAT HAPPENS IF ONE FACTOR IS CHANGED? HOW DOES THIS CHANGE APPEAR TO AFFECT OTHER FACTORS?
HAVE TO CONSIDER IF THE EXPERIMENT IS ETHICAL FOR USE ON HUMANS i.e Tuskegee syphilis experiment
Process
1). Question or problem
2). Hypothesis
3). Plan an experiment that will test hypothesis
Establish sample groups and control group
Determine variables i.e. independent variable vs. dependent variable
**independent variable is manipulated by researcher
**dependent variable is influenced by independent variable
4). Conduct experiment
5). Analyze results
6). Draw conclusions

9. SAMPLE SURVEYS
A SURVEY IS A SYSTEMATIC METHOD OF RESEARCH USED TO OBTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT THE THOUGHTS/BEHAVIOUR OF A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE.
SURVEYS TEND TO BE QUANTITATIVE RATHER QUALITATIVE.
CALLED ‘SAMPLE’ BECAUSE RESEARCHERS OBTAIN INFORMATION FROM A SMALL GROUP AND THEN APPLY THEIR FINDINGS TO THE REST OF THE POPULATION-THEY THEN DRAW CONCLUSIONS FOR THE ENTIRE GROUP.
SAMPLE SURVEYS CAN BE CARRIED OUT THROUGH VARIOUS MEANS (in person, over the phone, by mail…) BUT USUALLY TAKE THE FORM OF QUESTIONNAIRES.
IN ORDER TO ASSURE THE RELIABILITY OF THESE SURVEYS, RESEARCHERS MUST ENSURE THAT THEIR SAMPLE IS LARGE ENOUGH AS WELL AS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ENTIRE POPULATION.
DATA CAN BE PROCESSED VERY QUICKLY.
ONE DRAWBACK OF THIS RESEARCH METHOD IS THAT QUESTIONNAIRES DON’T USUALLY ALLOW RESPONDENTS TO EXPLAIN WHY THEY THINK/FEEL THE WAY THEY DO.
STEPS:
1). Identify the purpose of the survey-(topic, information, what do you need to know/what would you like to know)
2). Formulate questions-devise questions that will get the information you’re after (avoid those that don’t have any relevance to topic)
3). Conduct survey using appropriate sample group.
4). Analyze Data-translate data into meaningful forms.
5). Draw conclusions-apply findings of survey to population.

10. INTERVIEWS
ARE USED WHEN A RESEARCHER REQUIRES DETAILED INFORMATION FROM A FEW PEOPLE AND IS LOOKING FOR EXPLANATIONS OR DESCRIPTIONS OF THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIOUR.
TAKE THE FORM OF A DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE INTERVIEWER AND THE SUBJECT
**Can be conducted face-to-face, over the phone, or using a focus group.
Drawbacks to be aware of:
Time consuming
Researcher’s presence may introduce biased responses
Formulating/Asking Questions:
Determine what kind information is needed before writing questions.
Compose questions relevant to topic.
Keep questions open-ended, unstructured.
Only use a few well-written questions (no more than five)
Memorize questions and their order.
Be a good listener (ask for details, clarification, examples…)
Make sure to record answers.

11. OBSERVATION
THIS METHOD ALLOWS RESEARCHERS TO LEARN ABOUT PEOPLE IN THEIR NATURAL SURROUNDINGS. THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE PEOPLE ACT ‘LIKE THEMSELVES’ AND ARE THEREFORE UNLIKELY TO ALTER THEIR BEHAVIOUR.
THERE ARE SEVERAL METHODS/TYPES OF OBSERVATION:
UNSTRUCTURED OBSERVATION-OBSERVING WITHOUT A PREDETERMINED IDEA OF WHAT TO LOOK FOR. A RESEARCHER MIGHT JUST SIT IN A PARK, CAFETERIA, OR WHEREVER AND WATCH WHAT GOES ON AROUND THEM. THIS METHOD MAY PROVIDE THE RESEARCHER WITH NEW INSIGHTS, IDEAS, AND HYPOTHESES THAT CAN LEAD TO FURTHER RESEARCH.
STRUCTURED OBSERVATION-THE RESEARCHER HAS ALREADY DETERMINED WHAT HE/SHE WILL LOOK FOR AND WHAT INFORMATION TO RECORD. FREQUENTLY USES A CHECKLIST TO RECORD DATA.
PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION-HERE THE RESEARCHER NOT ONLY OBSERVES THE GROUP FROM A DISTANCE BUT ALSO LIVES AMONG THE PEOPLE AND TAKES PART THEIR ACTIVITIES. THE GOAL IS TO TRY AND SEE THINGS FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE. THIS WILL ALLOW THE RESEARCHER TO FORM A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE GROUP.
Process:
1). Begin with question/problem
2). Formulate hypothesis
3). Determine which type of observation is best suited to your particular inquiry (unstructured, structured, participant).
4). Conduct observation and record data (checklist, notes…)
5). Analyze data
6). Draw conclusions

12. ANALYZING THE DATA
THE RESEARCHER MUST THEN ORGANIZE THE RAW DATA INTO MEANINGFUL FORMS i.e. Graphs, charts, tables…
DATA IS GENERALLY USELESS UNLESS IT IS ORGANIZED, INTERPRETED AND ANALYZED.

13. DRAWING CONCLUSIONS
AFTER THE DATA HAS BEEN ANALYZED THE INQUIRER DETERMINES WHETHER THE HYPOTHESIS IS EITHER SUPPORTED OR NOT.
THE RESEARCHER CAN ALSO SEE WHETHER THE HYPOTHESIS CAN BE ACCEPTED, REJECTED, OR REVISED.
PERHAPS THE RESEARCH SUGGESTS AN ALTERNATE CONLUSION i.e. THAT THERE IS A CORRELATION BETWEEN VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES AND YOUTH VIOLENCE BUT ONLY WITHIN MALES OR ONLY WITH YOUTH OF A CERTAIN AGE.

15. THERE ARE THREE GENERAL TESTS TO CHECK IF A SOCIAL SCIENCE STUDY HAS VALUE: OBJECTIVITY, RELEVANCE, AND VALIDITY.
TO BE OBJECTIVE, FINDINGS/CONCLUSIONS SHOULD NOT BE TAINTED BY THE PERSONAL OPINIONS OF THE RESEARCHER.
TO BE RELEVANT, THE FINDINGS/CONCLUSIONS MUST RELATE DIRECTLY TO THE QUESTION/PROBLEM.
TO BE VALID, ALL RESULTS MUST BE ACCURATE AND RELIABLE.
TWO IMPORTANT NOTES:
1). SOCIAL SCIENTISTS SHOULD NOT BE OVERLY CAUTIOUS WHEN CONSIDERING OR PRESENTING WARRANTED OR REASONABLE CONCLUSIONS IF THOSE CONCLUSIONS WERE PROPERLY OBTAINED.
2). SOCIAL SCIENTISTS SHOULD NEVER GO BEYOND WHAT IS SUPPORTED BY THE EVIDENCE.

16. REARRANGE THE ORDER OF THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES SO THAT THEY
FOLLOW THE MODEL OF INQUIRY:
1). THE DOCTOR GATHERED THE NOTES FROM HER OBSERVATIONS AND ADDED THEM TO THE TEST RESULTS SHE HAD OBTAINED.
2). THE PATIENT WALKED INTO THE DOCTOR’S OFFICE COMPLAINING OF A FEVER AND LACK OF ENERGY.
3). THE DOCTOR CONCLUDED THAT THE PATIENT HAD THE FLU.
4). THE DOCTOR THOUGHT THE PATIENT MIGHT HAVE THE FLU THAT WAS GOING AROUND.
6). THE DOCTOR PRESCRIBED REST, ASPIRIN AND PLENTY OF LIQUIDS.
7). THE DOCTOR INSPECTED THE PATIENT’S EYES, NOSE AND EARS AND ORDERED SOME TESTS.