1. Reading and Writing Social Research
Chapter 15
Reading and Writing Social Research

2. How to Read Social Research
Begin with the abstract.
Skim the piece.
Read the conclusion to get a good sense of what it is about.
Form questions as you read and take notes.

3. Key Elements in a Research Report
Theoretical orientation
Research design
Measurement methods
Sampling

4. Risks of the Internet
Everything you read on the web is not necessarily true.
Original sources of data are preferred over those that take data from elsewhere.

5. Evaluating a Web Source
Who/what is the author of the web
Is the site advocating a particular view?
Does the site give accurate and complete references?
Are the data up-to-date?

6. Official Data Usually a good source, although still subject to error.
Verify (crosscheck) data wherever possible.
Web citations, like other bibliographic references, should be complete—allowing the reader to locate and review the materials cited.

7. The writing challenge
Research writing is often a relatively unpracticed form of writing that can challenge and intimidate students

8. Good Social Research Writing
Begins with good writing.
Write to communicate, not to impress.
Be aware of the audience and the purpose in writing the report.
Avoid presenting someone else’s words or thoughts as your own.

9. Writing as ‘conversation’
The goal of your write-up is to share your research with others
Think of your write-up as a communication process or a ‘conversation’ that demands consideration of your readers

10. The Presentation as Conversation
So tell me what your research is about
And why did you choose this topic/question?
What do you hope to achieve?
I really don’t know much about this topic, can you fill me in?
How exactly did you go about doing your research?
And what did you find?
How would you explain the relevance of what you have done?

11. The ‘standard’ structure
Your write-up can follow a standard structure that generally includes:
an introduction
literature review
methods
findings
conclusion

12. Alternate structures
Your write-up can also follow an alternate structure that may better suit a particular project’s aims and objectives
While alternate structures can allow for more creative expression, the standard format gives readers what they tend to expect

13. Drafting and redrafting
Moving from first to final draft is a multistage process that sees you working systematically through the development of:
logic and argument
coherence and consistency
fluency and readability
and finally, copy editing

14. APSA Citation Style
Erskine, Hazel “The Polls: Fear of Violence and Crime.” Public Opinion Quarterly 38 (1):
Ferraro, Kenneth and Randy LaGrange “The Measurement of Fear of Crime.” Sociological Inquiry 57 (1):
Garofalo, James “The Fear of crime: Causes and Consequence.” Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology 82 (2):
Warr, Mark “Dangerous Situations: Social Context and Fear of Victimization.” Social Forces 68, 3:

15. Example: Pape (2003)