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Social Research Outline

By on January 17, 2014

The Social Research Model

·Select a Topic

·Define the Problem

·Literature Review

·Hypothesis

·Choose a Research Method

·Collect the Data

·Analyze the Results

·Share the Results (present the information or publish)

 

Critical Thinking: goal is to understand, analyze, and evaluate information…question information presented to you.

Steps in solving problems (social problems):

1.Understand the problem

2.Collect information

3.Develop a plan

4.Evaluate your plan’s effectiveness

Active Learning: questioning, criticizing, imagining, examining, speculating, hypothesizing.

Social Research to Understand, Evaluate, and Solve Social Problems

The Research Model

·Select a topic

·Define the problem

·Literature review

·Select a sample

·Hypothesis (proposition for empirical testing)

·Choose a research method

·Collect the data

·Analyze the results

·Share the results

Social Research Methods

Survey Research

·Questionnaires

oMail

oTelephone

oPersonally distributed

·Interviews

oStructured (closed-ended)

oUnstructured (open-ended)

oInterviewer bias

Observational Research

·Participant observation

·Nonparticipant observation

·Case study (one group studied intensely)

Secondary Research

·Historical/Comparative studies

·Documents

·Diaries

·Content analysis (media/publications)

Experimental Research

·Laboratory (controlled environment

·Field (natural setting)

·Independent vs. dependent variables

·Control variables

·Experimental vs. control group

(Image courtesy of Stuart Miles/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

About admin

Teaching Sociology is very enjoyable for me. Sociology is like a gateway to a plethora of knowledge and understanding. The subject material is directly applicable to real-world events and situations found in everyday life. The methods and concepts of sociology yield powerful insights into the social processes shaping the contemporary world. The ability to identify and understand these processes is valuable preparation for professional participation in an ever changing and complex society.