The Research Process
This is the very first step in the scientific method where a researcher clearly states what they want to investigate.
What is defining the problem?
This common quantitative method uses a series of questions in an interview or questionnaire to gather data from a large group.
What is a survey?
This method involves the researcher joining a group for a period of time to get a deep, "insider" understanding of their culture.
What is ethnography (or participant observation)?
This is the professional organization that published the Code of Ethics followed by most sociologists.
What is the ASA (American Sociological Association)?
This term refers to an explanation of an abstract concept that is specific enough to allow a researcher to measure it.
What is an operational definition?
This is the term for a selection from a larger population that is statistically representative of that population.
What is a sample?
This is a qualitative technique where a researcher sits down with an individual to ask open-ended questions and listen to their personal stories.
What is a qualitative interview?
Sociologists must protect this at all costs, ensuring that they do not reveal the identities of their research subjects.
What is confidentiality?
This is a speculative statement about the relationship between two or more factors known as variables.
What is a hypothesis?
This specific type of sample ensures every member of an entire population has the same chance of being selected.
What is a random sample?
This term describes the unintended influence that observers of experiments can have on their subjects.
What is the Hawthorne effect?
This ethical requirement means participants must be told the nature of the study and any potential risks before they agree to join.
What is informed consent?
In a study, this is the variable that is hypothesized to cause or influence another.
What is the independent variable?
This research design involves an artificially created situation that allows a researcher to manipulate variables to determine cause and effect.
What is an experiment?
This type of research makes use of existing data, like census materials or historical documents, rather than gathering new data.
What is secondary analysis?
Max Weber used this term to describe his belief that researchers should keep their personal feelings and biases out of their work.
What is value neutrality?
This quality refers to the degree to which a measure or scale truly reflects the phenomenon under study.
What is validity?
In statistics, this is the single most common value in a series of scores.
What is the mode?
This is the systematic coding and objective recording of data, guided by some rationale, often used to study cultural artifacts like song lyrics or advertisements.
What is content analysis?
This 1970s study on "Tearoom Trade" became famous for its controversial methods regarding the privacy and informed consent of its subjects.
What is the Laud Humphreys study?