Strengths & Weaknesses
This method collects data from large groups, is easy to replicate, but often suffers from self-report bias and low response rates.
What are surveys?
Research that translates the social world into numbers that can be treated mathematically.
What is Quantitative Research?
One on one individual discussions that help explore people's thoughts, emotions and experiences.
Interviews
The belief that researchers can remain impartial, rational, and factual.
What is Classical belief?
This method provides rich, detailed data and allows clarification, but it is time-consuming and may involve interviewer bias.
What are interviews?
Research that works without numbers to understand how people make sense of their world.
What is qualitative research?
A controlled investigation or study to evaluate relationships
Experiments
Rooted in the belief that theory and action are inseparable. Research should not only explain society but also transform it.
What is Marxist Praxis?
This method reveals patterns of communication, influence, and resource flow, but requires specialized tools and often misses lived experiences.
What is social network analysis?
A common way to find information for qualitative research.
What are finding patterns?
The studying relationships between people, groups and other organizations
Social Network Analysis
No single “objective reality”; subjectivity is inevitable.
What is Postmodern view?
This method captures natural behavior in real settings and offers deep cultural insights, but it is very time-intensive and hard to generalize.
What is participant observation (or ethnography)?
Methods provide different aspects of data and analysis within experiments.
What are quantitative and qualitative research methods?
The use of data or records that have already been collected
Existing Sources
Claimed attempts to change society may prevent researchers from truly understanding it.
What is David Matza?
This method saves time, allows historical studies, and often uses large samples, but may lack context or rely on potentially biased original data.
What are existing sources or secondary data?
A qualitative method that requires field work.
What is ethnography?
A detailed study of people in their own environment
Ethnography/ Participant Observation
Goal: maintain neutrality and objectivity so findings are not shaped by bias.
What is Value-Free Ideal?