Post on 03-Jan-2016
Research Methods
Learning Target: Explain methods used by a Sociologist to perform
research
Why do research?
• Protect ourselves from assumptions
• Exaggeration Example (Cure for Alzheimer's)
• Have statistical data to help us compare how we have changed over time
Activity
• How much have we changed from 1900 to 2000?
• _____times as many adults are getting high school degrees
• _____Percentage of American homes that have telephone, electricity, and a toilet that flushes
• The air we breathe is _______cleaner?
Activity Answers
• __Four_times as many adults are getting high school degrees
• _98%___Percentage of American homes that have telephone, electricity, and a toilet that flushes
• The air we breathe is __97%_____cleaner?• What does this research show us?
Using a Survey as Your Research Tool
• Used to ask a sampling of people-could include a grouping of teachers at Solon High School, the employees at your favorite restaurant, or the police officers in the city of Cleveland.
• When you survey a sample, you must ask enough people where they will accurately represent the whole
How to create your survey
• Questionnaire• Interview
• Close-ended questions• Open-ended questions
We will complete close-ended surveys
• WHY? Because we want them to be measurable!
• Example of the need for close-ended (flavors of ice cream)
Example of a close-ended questionnaire
Question Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree
High School Seniors Rule the School
The school year is too long
Sports hold too much significance in schools
Qualitative vs Quantitative
Qualitative-uses narrative or descriptive dataQuantitative-uses numerical data
Theoretical Perspectives and Research Method
Functionalist-SurveyConflict Theory-Case StudySymbolic Interactionism-Participant Observation