srap
Intro to Social Research
Lecture 1
Introduction to Social Research
Social Research: systematic examination of a society’s attitudes, assumptions, beliefs, trends and relationships
Scope can be small or large, ranging from the self or a single individual to spanning an entire country
Why?
How the social world functions
Understandings of social phenomena
Allows you to become an active participant in finding out about the social world
Attractive to future employees
Types:
Exploratory: explore/open up new areas/ideas
Descriptive: describe phenomena
Explanatory: explanations of social world/social phenomena
Steps: linear process – complex and dynamic
Define problem/conceptual framework
Frame research into questions
Literature review
Choose necessary data to answer questions
Design research to collect and analyse data
Use date to answer questions
Lecture 2
Researching social issues: Ethics and politics of research
Recap:
Searching, investigating, enquiring
Social research: Systematic observation, collection of information to find or impose pattern to make decision or take action
Research: explore, describe, explain
Two elements informing the research process:
Social theory: abstract idea or set of ideas that explain social phenomena
Empirical data: result of observing and/or measuring social phenomena
Relationship between 2?
Separate but interdependent roles
Without data, theory is an unproven speculation
Without theory, researchers cannot fully understand data
Theory informs method. Theoretical positioning influences the collection of empirical data and analysis of data
How do you use theory? Relationship between theory and research
Deductive research: “top down”
Identify, narrow into hypothesis, narrow through observations, test (confirm?)
E.g. Intercultural Strategies Framework
E.g. Dimensions of Social Cohesion (Jenson, 1998)
Inductive research: “bottom up”
Specific observations and measures, detect patterns and
Lecture 1
Introduction to Social Research
Social Research: systematic examination of a society’s attitudes, assumptions, beliefs, trends and relationships
Scope can be small or large, ranging from the self or a single individual to spanning an entire country
Why?
How the social world functions
Understandings of social phenomena
Allows you to become an active participant in finding out about the social world
Attractive to future employees
Types:
Exploratory: explore/open up new areas/ideas
Descriptive: describe phenomena
Explanatory: explanations of social world/social phenomena
Steps: linear process – complex and dynamic
Define problem/conceptual framework
Frame research into questions
Literature review
Choose necessary data to answer questions
Design research to collect and analyse data
Use date to answer questions
Lecture 2
Researching social issues: Ethics and politics of research
Recap:
Searching, investigating, enquiring
Social research: Systematic observation, collection of information to find or impose pattern to make decision or take action
Research: explore, describe, explain
Two elements informing the research process:
Social theory: abstract idea or set of ideas that explain social phenomena
Empirical data: result of observing and/or measuring social phenomena
Relationship between 2?
Separate but interdependent roles
Without data, theory is an unproven speculation
Without theory, researchers cannot fully understand data
Theory informs method. Theoretical positioning influences the collection of empirical data and analysis of data
How do you use theory? Relationship between theory and research
Deductive research: “top down”
Identify, narrow into hypothesis, narrow through observations, test (confirm?)
E.g. Intercultural Strategies Framework
E.g. Dimensions of Social Cohesion (Jenson, 1998)
Inductive research: “bottom up”
Specific observations and measures, detect patterns and