Foundations of Sociological Inquiry
Research Design
Today’s Objectives







Housekeeping
Three Purposes of Research
How to Design a Research Project
Units of Analysis
The Logic of Comparison
Necessary and Sufficient Causes
Questions?
Which ‘poet’ do you like better?
1.
2.
Paul Simon
Roger Waters
63%
37%
1
2
Which song do you like better?
1.
2.
The sound of
silence
Comfortably numb
62%
38%
1
2
Are you ever distracted by other students
talking in class?
1.
2.
Yes
No
64%
36%
1
2
Would you prefer to meet for lecture on
Friday or have time to meet with your survey
design group?
95%
1.
2.
Have lecture on
Friday; meet with
group at another
time
Don’t have lecture
on Friday to allow
time to meet with
group
5%
1
2
Questions? Comments? Suggestions?

Becky’s office hours are:
 TUESDAY
 3:00-5:00
 Savery 224
You can always e-mail me at bpettit@uw.edu
Which of these are among the purposes of
social research?
1.
2.
3.
4.
exploration
description
explanation
all of the above
97%
1%
1
0%
2
3%
3
4
Three Purposes of Research
1.
2.
3.
Exploration
Description
Explanation
Three Purposes of Research
Exploration
1.



To satisfy the researcher’s curiosity and desire for better
understanding
To test the feasibility of undertaking a more extensive study
To develop the methods to be employed in any subsequent
study
Three Purposes of Research
Exploration
1.



To satisfy the researcher’s curiosity and desire for better
understanding
To test the feasibility of undertaking a more extensive study
To develop the methods to be employed in any subsequent
study
Description
2.


Describe situations and events through scientific observation
Descriptive studies answer questions of what, where, when, and
how
Three Purposes of Research
Exploration
1.



To satisfy the researcher’s curiosity and desire for better
understanding
To test the feasibility of undertaking a more extensive study
To develop the methods to be employed in any subsequent
study
Description
2.


Describe situations and events through scientific observation
Descriptive studies answer questions of what, where, when, and
how
Explanation
3.


Explain observed phenomenon in relation to sociological
theories
Explanatory studies answer questions of why
How to Design a Research Project
1.
Define the purpose of your project
exploratory, descriptive, or explanatory?
How to Design a Research Project
1.
Define the purpose of your project
exploratory, descriptive, or explanatory?
2.
Determine whom or what to study
develop a research question or object of inquiry
How to Design a Research Project
1.
Define the purpose of your project
exploratory, descriptive, or explanatory?
2.
Determine whom or what to study
develop a research question or object of inquiry
3.
Collect empirical data
ethnography, survey, experimental, historical, ?
How to Design a Research Project
1.
Define the purpose of your project
exploratory, descriptive, or explanatory?
2.
Determine whom or what to study
develop a research question or object of inquiry
3.
Collect empirical data
ethnography, survey, experimental, historical, ?
4.
Analyze the data
How to Design a Research Project
1.
Define the purpose of your project
exploratory, descriptive, or explanatory?
2.
Determine whom or what to study
develop a research question or object of inquiry
3.
Collect empirical data
ethnography, survey, experimental, historical, ?
4.
5.
Analyze the data
Report your findings in relation to what we think we
know
Scientific inquiry involves:
1.
2.
3.
4.
making
observations
interpreting what
you’ve observed
both of the above
none of the above
94%
2%
1
3%
2
2%
3
4
Unit of Analysis (what or whom is being studied)

Individuals

Students, voters, parents, children, Catholics
Unit of Analysis (what or whom is being studied)

Individuals


Students, voters, parents, children, Catholics
Groups

Gang members, families, married couples, friendship
groups
Unit of Analysis (what or whom is being studied)

Individuals


Groups


Students, voters, parents, children, Catholics
Gang members, families, married couples, friendship
groups
Organizations

Corporations, social organizations, colleges
Unit of Analysis (what or whom is being studied)

Individuals


Groups


Gang members, families, married couples, friendship
groups
Organizations


Students, voters, parents, children, Catholics
Corporations, social organizations, colleges
Social Interactions

Telephone calls, dances, online chat rooms, fights
Unit of Analysis (what or whom is being studied)

Individuals


Groups


Corporations, social organizations, colleges
Social Interactions


Gang members, families, married couples, friendship
groups
Organizations


Students, voters, parents, children, Catholics
Telephone calls, dances, online chat rooms, fights
Social Artifacts

Social Artifact – any product of social beings or their
behavior.
If a researcher is interested in studying the effects
of different training regimens on a team’s
performance, the unit of analysis in this study is
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
the team member.
the team.
the coach.
the different training
regimens.
the researcher’s
perception of
performance.
51%
34%
12%
3%
1
1%
2
3
4
5
The Logic of Comparison

Most sociological studies involve comparisons

Experimental studies involve treatment/control groups in
which an independent variable is typically manipulated to
observe its effect on a dependent variable

Non-experimental studies typically compare the effects of
some independent variable(s) on some dependent
variable

It is critical to observe variation in both the independent variable
(e.g., race, gender, parenthood, social class, years of schooling,
period, cohort) and the dependent variable (e.g., income,
employment, promotion)
A _____ is an empirical relationship between
two variables such that changes in one are
associated with changes in the other.
90%
1.
2.
3.
4.
momothetic
explanation
regression
analysis
correlation
spurious
relationship
1%
1
5%
2
4%
3
4
A _____ represents a condition that, if
present, guarantees the effect in question.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
hypothesis
sufficient cause
practical issue
necessary cause
dependent
variable
100%
0%
1
0%
2
3
0%
0%
4
5
Necessary and Sufficient Causes

A necessary cause represents a condition that must
be present for the effect to follow.

A sufficient cause represents a condition that, if it is
present, guarantees the effect in question.

Most satisfying outcome in research includes both
necessary and sufficient causes.
Questions?