Lesson 3: Sociology and the Scientific Method
Attention
Yes...they are being watched!
What type of research method would this be? How effective is this method and how reliable are the conclusions?
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this lesson's material, students will be able to:
- Utilizing the tools of a Sociologist, design and conduct a Sociological Research Study
- Explore the world of Sociological research in peer reviewed journals
Teaching
The Scientific Method
The social sciences have long tried to emulate the natural sciences in terms of precision and method of inquiry. However, there is a limit to this...we are not studying something with static properties...the social sciences change, as do the people who we are studying.
Methodology in Sociology focuses on the following steps:
- Make observations to formulate concepts
- Background research (what do we already know)
- Identify the variables involved
- Independent variables (generally the "causes")
- Dependent variables (generally the "effects")
- Control variables
- Hypotheses
- Sampling
- Collect data
- Analyze
Quantitative methods focus on numerical data, while qualitative methods focus on experiential data.
Check out this slideshow on the difference between Correlation and Causation!
To best understand the scientific methods utilized by Sociologists we are going to take a look at Culture and see what it takes to study culture.
Methods
Some methods of data collection include:
- Surveys
- Secondary analysis of existing data
- Field research
- Content analysis
- Experiments
- Evaluation research (all of the above)
This lesson is also associated with the Special Assignment on Academic Reading. Please see the Lesson on this assignment in the Special Assignments section of the course.
Assessment
In-class Activity
Design ways in which we might analyze a research question related to culture in sociology.