Doing Social Research Book

Preface     xiii
The Scientific Method     1
Introduction: Taking the Course     1
Doing Social Research     3
Scientific Requirements     3
The Range of Questions     5
Applied and Pure Research     6
Types of Inquiry     6
Research for Social Studies     8
Social Studies Impacts     8
Social and Sociological Problems     8
Research Methods     9
The Possibilities     10
Conclusion: The Text     10
The Classical Studies     12
Student Projects     13
Questions     13
Exercises     14
Designing the Research Project     15
Introduction: Establishing the Purpose of the Study     15
Positive Factors     15
Negative Factors     17
The Literature Review     18
The Search     19
The Design of the Study     24
The Methods     26
Concluding the Design     27
Conclusion: Reviewing the Process     27
Student Projects     28
Questions     28
Exercises     28
The Conceptual Framework     29
Introduction: The Function of the Conceptual Framework     29
The Theory     30
Inductive Logic     31
Deductive Logic     31
Concept Mapping     32
The Role of the Hypothesis     33
The Needs of a Good Hypothesis     34
The Components of the Hypothesis: Variables and Concepts     36
The Question of Causality     39
Conclusion: The Contributions of the Conceptual Framework     40
Student Projects     41
Questions     41
Exercises     41
The Research Proposal     43
Introduction: The Research Proposal     43
The Explanation     43
The Study     44
Non-Experts     45
Types of Research     47
Affecting Factors     48
Common Research Methods     49
Conclusion: The Terminology     51
Student Projects     52
Questions     52
Exercises     52
Collecting Data     53
Introduction: Measurement     53
Method Classifications     54
Obtrusive Methods      54
Unobtrusive Methods     56
Using Available Data     56
Content Analysis: Means and Uses     61
Secondary Analysis     64
Advantages and Disadvantages of Available Data     64
Conclusion: More Than One     66
Student Projects     66
Questions     66
Exercises     66
The Classic Studies
Classic Example Using Available Government Statistics: Suicide: A Study in Sociology   Emile Durkheim     69
Classic Example Using Content Analysis of Available Documents: The Polish Peasant in Europe and America   William I. Thomas   Florian Znaniecki     78
Collecting the Data: Utilizing the Survey     89
Introduction: The History of the Survey     89
Advantages and Disadvantages     90
Types     90
The Self-Administered Questionnaire     91
Tasks of Construction and Development     92
Question Types     93
Question Preparation     94
The Problems     95
Different Techniques for Conducting a Survey     98
Administration     98
The Telephone     98
The Mailed Questionnaire     99
The Internet     101
The Interview     105
Tasks of Construction     105
Tasks of Administration     106
Special Interviewing Techniques     110
The Focus Interview     110
The Depth Interview     111
The Telephone Interview     112
Conclusions: Advantages and Disadvantages     116
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Self-Administered Questionnaire     116
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Interview     117
Which Method to Choose     121
Student Projects     121
Questions     121
Exercises     121
The Classic Studies
Classic Example Using the Survey Questionnaire: The American Soldier: Adjustment during Army Life (volume 1) and The American Soldier: Combat and Its Aftermath (volume 2)   Samuel A. Stouffer et al. (1949)     123
Classic Example Using the Survey Interview: An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy   Gunnar Myrdal (1944)     131
Classic Example Using the Survey Depth Interview: Sexual Behavior in the Human Male (1948) and Sexual Behavior in the Human Female (1953)   Alfred C. Kinsey   Wendell B. Pomeroy   Clyde E. Martin     135
Collecting the Data: Making Scientific Observations      141
Introduction: Scientific Observation     141
Advantages and Disadvantages of Scientific Observation     142
Aids in Recording Behavior     145
Types of Scientific Observation     146
Means of Scientific Observation     147
Nonparticipant Observer     147
Participant Observer     147
The In-between Observer     152
Conclusion: Advantages and Disadvantages of the Types of Scientific Observation     154
Student Projects     154
Questions     154
Exercises     155
The Classic Studies
Classic Example Using Detached Observation: Interaction Process Analysis: A Method for the Study of Small Groups   Robert F. Bales (1951)     157
Classic Example Using Participant Observation: Street Corner Society: The Social Structure of an Italian Slum   William Foote Whyte (1943)     164
Classic Example Using Unstructured Observation: We, the Tikopia: A Sociological Study of Kinship in Primitive Polynesia   Raymond Firth (1936)     172
Collecting the Data: Conducting an Experiment     175
Introduction: Tasks of Experiments     175
Types of Experiments     176
The Settings for Experiments     177
Designs for Conducting Experiments     179
Validity     184
Conclusion: The Decisions     185
Student Projects     186
Questions     186
Exercises     186
The Classic Studies
Classic Example Using a Laboratory Experiment: Management and the Worker   F. J. Roethlisberger   William J. Dickson (1939)     187
Classic Example Using a Field Experiment: Intergroup Conflict and Cooperation: The Robbers Cave Experiment   Muzafer Sherif   O. J. Harvey   B. Jack White   William R. Hood   Carolyn W. Sherif (1961)     195
Collecting the Data: Some Special Designs     203
Introduction: Different Designs for Special Needs     203
The Case Study     203
The Community Study     205
The Longitudinal Study     206
Conclusion: Current Use of These Special Designs     209
Student Projects     209
Questions     209
Exercises     209
The Classic Studies
Classic Example Using a Case Study: Union Democracy: The Internal Politics of the International Typographical Union   Seymour Martin Lipset   Martin Trow   James S. Coleman (1956)     211
Classic Example Using a Community Study: Middletown: A Study in American Culture (1929) and Middletown in Transition (1937)   Robert Lynd   Helen Lynd     216
Classic Example Using a Panel Analysis: The People's Choice: How the Voter Makes Up His Mind in a Presidential Campaign   Paul F. Lazarsfeld   Bernard Berelson   Hazel Gaudet (1944)     223
Analyzing the Data: Some Important Questions     229
Introduction: Analysis and the Research Question     229
Problems of Measurement: Validity and Reliability     229
Validity     230
Reliability     233
Problems of Measurement: Sample Type     235
Sample Size     236
Sampling Error     238
Sample Selection     239
Problems of Measurement: Scales     244
Scale Types     245
Sophisticated Scales     247
Conclusion: Needs     254
Scaling Needs     255
Student Projects     256
Questions     256
Exercises     257
Analyzing the Data: Some Important Tools     259
Introduction: Tools of Analysis     259
Tasks     259
The Need for Coding     260
Reliability     261
Special Problems     261
Codebooks     262
Graphic Displays     262
Matrices     263
Networks     265
Statistics for Testing and Explaning     265
Parametric Numbers: Descriptive and Inferential Numbers     266
Nonparametric Numbers: Frequency Distribution; Central Tendency; Dispersion     267
Inferential Statistics     270
The Latest Entry in Data Analysis: The Computer     273
Conclusion: The Need for Verification     276
Student Projects     277
Questions     277
Exercises     277
Concluding the Study     279
Introduction: Presenting the Material     279
Statement of the Problem     281
Description of Method     282
Presentation of Results     282
Interpretation     282
Writing the Report     282
The Abstract     287
Conclusion: Other Possible Needs     288
Student Projects     289
Questions     289
Exercises     289
Appendixes
Basic Research Guide for the Design of a Social Research Problem     291
A List of Websites for Research      295
A Guide to Sociological Journals     301
The Research Grant Proposal     307
Job Titles for Sociology Trainees     311
Glossary     313
References: The Classic Studies     321
References     325
Index     331
About the Author     345