SYG 2000: Lecture 3. Chapter 1: Research Methods

I. Distinctive Features of Social Science Research: 

   A. literature review:  1st step review previous research, often in scholarly journals

   B. formulate testable hypotheses: state what expect find (predict) based on theory

      1. example: ratio of female/male suicide risk decreases with industrial development

   C. operationalize concepts in hypothesis: precise measures: e.g. development=GNP/cap

   D. validity of measures:  measure what they purport to measure

   E. reliability: consistent (same) results when repeated over, even by other researcher

II. Sample: elements selected from & representative of a larger, target population

   A. random: all elements in pop have the same chance of being included in study

   B. stratified:  within categories, number in sample set to be proportional to population

III. Surveys: respondents in sample asked neutral questions: not loaded to create bias

   A. example: not “Don’t you think that men who kill themselves should go to hell?”

   B. close-ended questions:  followed by list of possible answers vs. open-ended

IV. Six ways not to do research: to load the dice:

   1. choose a biased sample:  a sample that is not representative of population

   2. ask biased questions: ask questions that are not neutral, but give predicted result

   3. list biased choices

   4. discard undesirable results

   5. misunderstand subjects’ world: may be embarrassed to give polit incorrect response

   6. analyze data incorrectly:  e.g., add/subtract control variables until get desired result

V. Participant Observation: research participates in research setting while observing

   A. example: “On Being Sane in Insane Places”: normal put themselves mental hospitals

VI. Experiments:  use experimental & control groups/indep & dep vars/ to test causation

A.     experimental group: subjects exposed to independent variable

B.     control group: subjects who are not exposed to independent variable

C.     independent variable: factors causing change in dependent variable

D.     dependent variable: factor that is changed by an independent variable

VII. Unobtrusive measures: way observing people who don’t know they are being studied

VIII. Ethics in sociological research: Brajuha research example of protecting subjects

   A. Mario Brajuha at Stony Brook: refuses to surrender field notes on restaurant workers

      1.  district attorney subpoenaed notes when restaurant working at suspiciously burned

      2.  Brajuha received threats: from unsavory characters, perhaps those who set fire

   B. Laud Humphreys research on tearooms: public restrooms for anonymous male sex

      1. Secret Observer: was “watchqueen”: lookout for police/unwelcome strangers

      2. Secretly records license plate #s: get’s addresses from St. Louis police dept.

            a. year later: arranges to interview these men in medical study w/ dif hair style

            b. findings: men lead conventional lives; some heterosexuals use t-rm quick sex

            c. later admission (1975 edition): should have identified himself as a researcher

IX. Values in Sociological Research: Max Weber declares should be “value free”

   A. meaning: sociologist’s personal values @ what good in life shouldn’t affect research

            1. Yet values still play role in research: e.g. influences selection of topics

            2. Replication safeguard: other researchers repeating study to compare results