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