1. Homework: Your Worldview What is your ontology and epistemology?* Ontology: How do you see the world? Is there Social order or radical change? Is reality something you experience (separate from you) or something you help to create? Epistemology: Can we be objective in our study of the world? Or does our subjectivity persist and interfere? Theory: What is your theory of change? How does change occur in the world? Is it controlled or uncontrolled? *Some info from Burrell, G., & Morgan, G. Sociological Paradigms and Organizational Analysis, Heinemann, 1979, 1-37Burrell, G., & Morgan, G. Sociological Paradigms and Organizational Analysis, Heinemann, 1979, 1-37

2. Homework Revisited Functionalism: Social Order + Objectivity Interpretivism: Social Order + Subjectivity Radical Structuralism: Constant change + Objectivity Radical Humanism: Constant change + Subjectivity Ontology: Social Order vs. Radical/constant change Epistemology: Objective vs. Subjective

3. Fall 2015 Research Methods Class 3 The Research Process & Types of Research

4. The Research Process 1. Observation (exploration+question) 2. Rationalization (design+method) 3. Validation (data + analysis)

5. Observation: Exploration Experience Curiousity, life experiences, interests, choosing a topic Literature Review Find articles about topics of interest – focus on specific aspect “What has already been written on my topic?” Research Question Begin to formulate a research question “What do I want to know?”

6. Rationalization: Research Design Define concepts/variables: operationalization What concepts are part of my topic? How do I define these concepts so they can be measured? Research Question Refine question with operational definitions Choose a method + sample How do you collect data? Who are you asking? Methods: Surveys, interviews, focus groups, ethnography, case study, participatory action research, secondary data analysis, (experiments) Research Proposal* Now you know what you want to do, write it up, get approved ($)

7. Validation: Data & Analysis Collect data Quantitative or Qualitative? Mixed Methods? Data Analysis Depends on types of data collected Research Report* Conclusion and findings

8. The Research Process 1. Observation (exploration+question) 2. Rationalization (design+method) 3. Validation (data + analysis) Research Type

9. Types of Research  Descriptive  Making careful observations and detailed documentation of a phenomenon  What, Where, When  What amount of formerly incarcerated individuals have trouble finding a job?  Exploratory  Conducted in new areas of inquiry to scope out the magnitude or extent of a particular problem or to generate some initial ideas  Do formerly incarcerated individuals face barriers to employment?  Explanatory  Most academic research is explanatory – tries to ‘connect the dots’  Why do formerly incarcerated individuals have trouble finding a job?  How are formerly incarcerated individuals treated by employers?  Evaluative  Does Program X helped formerly incarcerated individuals find and keep a job?

10. Discuss 1. Criminal justice system: Sentencing, plea bargaining 2. Prison: Reform, Recidivism, Mass incarceration, overcrowding 3. Economic inequality 4. NYPD/Law Enforcement: Hiring process, Racial bias 5. Drugs: Abuse, Legalization, Decriminalization 6. Immigration/Human trafficking 7. Gentrification 8. Social/Political Movements

11. 1. Criminal justice system 1. Prison 2. Economic inequality 3. NYPD/Law Enforcement

12. 1. Drugs 2. Immigration/Human trafficking 3. Gentrification 4. Social/Political Movements

13. Reading… Chapter 2: Thinking Like a Researcher (p. 9-15) In Social Science Research- Principles Methods and Practices Sections 2.1-2.2: Basic Concepts & Generating Good Research Questions (p. 23-38) In Research Methods in Psychology Pay attention to: Unit of Analysis Concept Variable Independent vs. dependent variable Operational definition Correlation vs. Causation

14. Dialectics of Social Research There are many ways and methods to conduct social research Idiographic and Nomothetic Explanation How do we explain a situation, group of people? Inductive and Deductive Theory What is your reasoning method? Quantitative and Qualitative Data What type of data are you collecting? Pure and Applied Research What is the type and purpose of the research you are conducting?