Conducting Research in the
Social Sciences
(From: Individuals and Families:
A Diverse Perspective (2010))
 Social-science research methods are
used to ask questions, gather
information, to analyze the
information and to draw conclusions.
Use the Social-Science
Research Process
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Use this systematic research method as
utilized by other social scientists
 Clarify the topic of study by asking
questions to determine the importance
of the topic, define the terms and set
the limits of the topic.
 Identify the specific research question
to be investigated so that the study has
a purpose.
 Review available literature on the topic
to find out what information is already
known. Use secondary sources, as they
analyze research and provide evidence.
Summarize the literature review. This leads
to a thesis that answers your question
Formulate a Research Question

A research question establishes the
purpose of the research.
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In family studies, good question
indicates the relationship between a
topic and individuals and/or families.
Preliminary research will indicate
whether a topic is relevant enough to
have sufficient sources of information
and will help clarify which aspect of a
topic to investigate.
Two basic types of questions asked in
the social sciences:
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Description questions

Require observations of what happens

Require analyses to determine how
and why things happen
Explanation questions
Design an Original
Investigation
 When a review of secondary sources do not result in an
answer to your question continue your research by:
 Providing a hypothesis, and designing an
investigation to gather additional evidence
 These investigations are called primary sources
because these provide first-hand information.
 Form conclusions that indicate whether the
hypothesis is true and whether your question has
been answered.
Develop a Hypothesis

A hypothesis is a possible answer to your
research question.
 It is a theory for which evidence is needed.

 It is developed after the review of the
literature.
A hypothesis presumes the relationship
between two or more variables:
 Other things being equal if A, then B.
 If variable A goes up or down, then
B goes up or down with it.
 A is the independent variable because it
happens first and B is the dependent
variable because it depends on A.
 A is the cause and B is the effect.
 E.g.: When studying ‘emerging adulthood’
 You could ask, “What factors influence an
individual’s decision about when to leave
home?”
 If literature review suggests that the decision is
influenced by the make-up of an individual’s
family, hypothesis could be:
 “Children of remarried parents leave home
earlier.”
Select a Research Method

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Hypothesis suggests the type of information gathered and how it
will be analyzed.
Two types of research methods:

Quantitative methods
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Qualitative methods
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Information gathered from many people which can be analyzed to
describe, explain and predict patterns of behaviors for groups
Analyzed using stats to generalize from the behavior of the sample
group
Gathers detailed information from individuals to help understand
behaviour.
Assumes that each subject might behave differently and does not
usually predict how others will behave.
Analyzed to determine the reasons for the subjects’ behaviour.
Consider several factors when choosing research method.
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Theoretical perspective of hypothesis
Choose methods that other researchers have used
Practical considerations like access to the population you want to study
Define a Sample Group
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A sample group is the population who will be the subjects of your
research
Define your population so that you eliminate other factors that could
confuse the effects of the independent variable.
There are two limits when selecting your sample group
 Sample group must be representative of the population you want
to study.
 E.g.: If you want to study students at your school and 55
percent are girls, then 55 percent of your sample must be
girls.
 Cannot generalize beyond the group from which you draw your
sample.
E.g.: If your sample is within your school, you cannot generalize to the
rest of Canada
Writing Research Papers
 Two major types of research papers.
 Essays that are written to support a thesis.
 Often done when the secondary research is
finished.
 Answer to the research question is stated as a
thesis.
 Reports that summarize and present the results
of an original investigation of a hypothesis.
 Review, development of thesis, the method,
and the results are described.
 Results are analyzed to determine whether
evidence supports the hypothesis.