Overview of Sociological
Research/Formulating a Research
Question
September 9, 2015
Rules of evidence/logical fallacies

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Is the evidence
accurate?
Does the evidence
support the
conclusion?
Is any relevant
evidence left out?

Hasty generalization

Unreliable authority

Wrong level

False cause/spurious
relationship
Goals of research
Exploratory: new topic
 Descriptive: gathering information
 Explanatory: explain patterns, answer why
 Evaluation: assess outcomes

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Types of research: Basic,
Applied, Evaluation
Research Designs
Experimental designs
 Quantitative designs
 Qualitative designs
 Mixed method designs

Experimental Design
Control group and experimental group
 Random assignment
 Pre-test and post-test

Quantitative Methods
Quantitative methods: Analysis is primarily
numeric/statistical
 Self-administered surveys (mail/computer)
 Structured interview (telephone/inperson)
 Secondary data analysis
Qualitative Methods
Qualitative methods: Analysis is interpretive
 Ethnography/field work
 Participant observation
 Unstructured/semi-structured interviews
 Life histories/oral histories
 Focus groups
Choosing the right method
Generalizability
 Sensitivity of topic
 Previous knowledge of categories
 Goals of research (exploratory,
descriptive, explanatory, evaluation)
 Resources and timeline

Time dimension
Cross-sectional
 Longitudinal

◦ Panel
◦ Cohort
◦ Trend
The research process: Using the
scientific method
Course assignments follow the
research process
Formulate research question (in class)
 Journal assignment
 Design overview assignment
 Develop instrument (survey questions
and survey drafts)
 Collect data
 Make conclusions

Characteristics of a good research
question
Focused
 Specific
 Measurable/observable
 Answerable within your chosen research
framework (survey)
 Doable with resources and time you have

Projects: Investigating social
problems
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Racial inequality
Gender inequality
Transportation
College completion
College costs