Research Problem What Is a Social Research Problem? A statement
about the social world Broad Socially relevant Clear Researchable
Allow the researcher to make a contribution to existing knowledge
Something that may be addressed by human actions 9/16/2013
12:052Geog 3250
Slide 3
Research Problem Examples Young adults increasingly
obese/overweight London diverts less waste from landfill than
Toronto Technology (sometimes) negatively impacts social
interaction Some people are healthy, and others are not 9/16/2013
12:053Geog 3250
Slide 4
Tell us your problem Carefully word a research problem (feel
free to bounce your idea off of your neighbour before submitting).
9/16/2013 12:05Geog 32504 Text 213023 and your message to 37607
i.e. type in the message 213023 This is my problem statement OR
Respond at this linkthis link OR Respond at
PollEv.com/geog3250PollEv.com/geog3250 (note to self: push poll to
this page now!) live poll results click hereclick here
Slide 5
Research Questions What Is a Research Question? Addresses a
research problem Aids in scoping research Allow contributions to
knowledge Relates to theory More general than an hypothesis May be
a stepping stone to generating hypotheses 9/16/2013 12:055Geog
3250
Slide 6
Research Questions Sources of good research questions 9/16/2013
12:056Geog 3250 Observation Skepticism Reading about current
knowledge Reflection
Slide 7
Research Questions Identifying good research questions Identify
a topic that interests you Write down possible questions Ask
yourself is it feasible answerable? Find out existing theory and
research on this topic, ask experts Formulate as specific
hypothesis where appropriate Identify central concepts 9/16/2013
12:057Geog 3250
Slide 8
Exercise Work in pairs or triplets Select and reword one of
your research problems Scope the problem into with two research
questions Be prepared to share with the group 9/16/2013 12:05Geog
32508
Slide 9
Theory What Is Theory? An explanation of observed regularities
or patterns Purpose To understand pressing social problems To
assess the adequacy of existing social theory 9/16/2013 12:059Geog
3250
Slide 10
Components of a Theory Comprised of concepts Definitions
Descriptions of the phenomena of interest Relational statements
These can be deterministic or probabilistic 9/16/2013 12:0510Geog
3250 Theory of individual/community wellness
Slide 11
Types of Theories Theories of the middle range Limited in scope
and can be tested directly e.g., Durkheims theory of suicide,
invasion succession and gentrification Grand theories General and
abstract, cannot be tested directly e.g., structural functionalism,
symbolic interactionism 9/16/2013 12:0511Geog 3250
Slide 12
Grand Social Theories These should sound familiar. We also use
them in social geography 9/16/2013 12:05Geog 325012 Click the image
to watch videovideo
Slide 13
The Relationship between Theory and Research Two major forms of
logic in social scientific enquiry: Deduction Induction 9/16/2013
12:0513Geog 3250
Slide 14
The Relationship between Theory and Research DEDUCTION Using
deduction, one begins with a theory or possible explanation for
something, then goes out into the world and tests it. 9/16/2013
12:0514Geog 3250
Induction Another way to conduct inquiry is by using induction.
Here one begins by gathering or examining data, and then tries to
derive concepts, and ultimately a theory or explanation from the
data. 9/16/2013 12:0516Geog 3250
Slide 17
Deduction and Induction 9/16/2013 12:0517Geog 3250
Slide 18
Theory Hypotheses Observations Empirical Generalizations
Deduction 9/16/2013 12:0518Geog 3250
Slide 19
Theory Hypotheses Observations Empirical Generalizations Logic
of Science INDUCTION DEDUCTION 9/16/2013 12:0519Geog 3250
Slide 20
Induction Contd Deriving theories or explanations from
qualitative data is sometimes called grounded theory. It is
grounded because: The data has primacy over theory because the
theme emerges from looking at the data after it has been collected
It asks How does this social space work? 9/16/2013 12:0520Geog
3250
Slide 21
Epistemological Positions: Positivism Social scientists should
use the same methods of inquiry that are used in the natural
sciences. Empiricism: knowledge must be based on information
gathered through the senses. A deductive approach (hypothesis
testing) can be used to acquire knowledge. 9/16/2013 12:0521Geog
3250
Slide 22
Epistemological Positions: Positivism In some instances
induction may provide knowledge or generalizations or laws. Relies
on scientific statements not normative statements. The former has
no judgement attached. Thus, objectivity should be possible.
9/16/2013 12:0522Geog 3250
Slide 23
Epistemological Positions: Interpretivism Researchers should
use inductive methods to try to grasp the subjective meanings of
peoples actions. Actions should be viewed from the point of view of
the social actors, i.e., the people studied. Researchers should
develop an empathetic understanding of the people studied,
sometimes referred to as verstehen (Weber). 9/16/2013 12:0523Geog
3250
Slide 24
Ontological Positions Objectivist: social phenomena have a
reality independent of our perceptions. Assumption / bias in
research toward formal properties of social groups or interactions,
Constructionist (hard): what passes for reality is merely a set of
mental constructions. Reality impossible to know without using
constructionsso it does not exist on its own. Assumption / bias in
research toward the changing nature of social organization.
Academics job is to trace the implications of various constructions
9/16/2013 12:0524Geog 3250
Slide 25
Ontological Positions, contd. Constructionist (soft): There is
an objective social reality. However, many of our ideas and
perceptions are false or misguided because they have been
constructed to justify distasteful forms of domination rather than
a more positive and alternative objective social reality (that
either existed in the past or in a vision of the future) academics
job is to uncover that reality 9/16/2013 12:0525Geog 3250 and
reality is changeable not biologically predetermined
Slide 26
Ontological Positions, contd. Objectivist: social reality is
fixed; we have little or no control over it. Constructionist: we
create our social worlds through our actions, in particular through
interaction and negotiation. 9/16/2013 12:0526Geog 3250 Men and
women construct the world differently?
Slide 27
Orientations: Quantitative and Qualitative Research
Quantitative: Uses numbers and statistics in the collection and
analysis of data. Qualitative: Uses mainly words and other
non-numeric symbols in the collection and analysis of data.
9/16/2013 12:0527Geog 3250
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9/16/2013 12:0528Geog 3250 Review
Slide 29
9/16/2013 12:0529Geog 3250
Slide 30
Values Contribute to bias in research Choice of topic
Formulation of the research question Choice of method Formulation
of research design and data collection methods Actual data
collection Analysis of data Interpretation of data Conclusions
9/16/2013 12:0530Geog 3250
Slide 31
Values and enquiry In 1997 who was the fastest man on earth?
What criteria? 100m? 200m? top speed? top speed average speed? 100m
Ben Johnson 9.79 (1988 Olympics) Donovan Bailey 9.79 (1996
Olympics) Maurice Greene 9.79 (1997 Worlds) = 36.7km/h 200m Michael
Johnson 19.32 (37.3 km/h) (1996 Olympics) 9/16/2013 12:05Geog
325031 DonovanBenMichael Usain 9.58 100m = 37.6 km/hr
Slide 32
Values Three different positions on values in social research:
1. Research should be value-free. 2. Research cannot be value-free,
but researchers should be open and explicit about their values. 3.
Researchers should use their values to direct and interpret their
investigations: value commitment is a good thing for researchers to
have. 9/16/2013 12:0532Geog 3250
Slide 33
Politics Researchers sometimes take sides. Funding: Who gets
it? Are strings attached? Research subjects/participants: who gets
access? Are strings attached? Research findings: what sorts of
findings are acceptable to those who fund or publish research?
9/16/2013 12:0533Geog 3250
Slide 34
Practical Considerations The choice of research method should
match the research question. A research question states the purpose
of the study in the form of a question. e.g., Why is the
consumption of alcohol legal, whereas pot use is illegal? Methods
next day 9/16/2013 12:0534Geog 3250
Slide 35
Review Whether they achieve it or not, all social scientists
strive to be value free just like their natural science
counterparts. 9/16/2013 12:05Geog 325035 Phone number in your
speeddial: 37607 True = 384247 False = 384248 OR Respond at this
linkthis link live poll results click hereclick here No peeking
upwards in the notes
Slide 36
Review According to our text, all constructionists subscribe to
an ontology that there is no reality that is independent from
concepts we use to describe our world reality is entirely
constructed by us. 9/16/2013 12:05Geog 325036 Phone number in your
speeddial: 37607 True = 515360 False = 515361 OR Respond at this
linkthis link live poll results click hereclick here No peeking
upwards in the notes