Two broad research methods commonly used in sociology and cultural anthropology are qualitative and quantitative

Two broad research methods commonly used in sociology and cultural anthropology are qualitative and quantitative. Researchers from almost every field utilize these two data-collection methods while conducting research. These methods include interviews, group observations, surveys, and census taking. These methods will produce efficient, realistic, logical, and thorough outcomes. A qualitative method used in sociology is participant observation. These subjective observations will focus on an interpretive approach on describing a situation and or a detailed look of a group’s day by day activities, history, personal accounts, and similarities. The result of this method of research communicates a through and detailed description and observation and is more in depth than doing interviews and or surveys. But the findings could be tainted by the researcher’s bias. ("Qualitative Research Methods in Sociology," 2011) A social survey is a quantitative method that uses objective statistical data. It is a more scientific-style form of research that results in information with correlations and trends. This information can go out to larger groups in forms of questionnaires, and its data can be used to make comparisons between different groups, but the response rate could be low. ("Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods," 2011) Sociological researchers will base their work on single or multiple philosophical justifications depending on what research methods are valid for the study that is being conducted. Participant observation is more of a naturalistic subjective approach. Its data sources are similar to fieldwork and include observations and interviews, along with the reactions and impressions of the researcher. This research is presented in a descriptive narration in an attempt to make a better understanding of an interaction of commonly shaping influences and hypotheses and theories that can be changed and developed during the observation process. It uses multiple realities about the world to understand social situations from the perspectives of participants that are inductive in nature. The researcher participates and will immerse themselves in the social setting and is considered a primary mechanism of the data collection and its analysis. They try to collect their data in a non-interfering manner and study real life situations as they unfold naturally without using any conditions or restraints that would change the study and its outcomes. This type of research can be time consuming and often difficult to replicate. Its success depends largely on the relationships that develop between the group’s participants and the researchers. ("Qualitative Research Methods in Sociology," 2011 Like sociology, anthropology uses the qualitative method of participant observation. The anthropologist will not only observe the culture that they have immersed themselves in but they will also participate in the group’s culture. They feel that the researcher cannot fully understand another culture just by observing it; they must also experience it by living within a culture for an extended period of time. Observations could last anywhere from months to several years or even generations. Participant observation and participation will develop a deeper trusting rapport resulting in a better understanding and a more in depth gathering of information. It attempts to understand a group’s culture by understanding why people do what they do. ("Anthropology Research Techniques," 2011) Cross-cultural comparative studies will use field data from many different cultures. It will use a large amount of statistical data that can be used to form a hypothesis and make correlations about different relationships and or shared traits within cultures. Using data from several cultures will result in a wider range of complexity in cultural evolution. These studies are more objective due to the person that has done the field studies and the one that is making the comparisons are not the same individual, which will guard against an unconscious bias toward the theory. The use of the cross-cultural comparison method can contribute to a greater understanding of humanity as a whole. The use of this method can help with the other research methods such as historical and media analysis. ("Anthropology Research Techniques," 2011) Participant observation is used in both sociology and anthropology studies. While anthropology is more interested in different cultures other than one’s own especially non-westerners that are less advanced. Sociology looks more at understanding one’s own culture and uses the results for market research and government statistics. Anthropologists would totally immerse themselves into the culture that they are observing they would learn their language eat their food and collect myths and traditions as well as artifacts to preserve for public display. They will take advantage of all of their senses while collecting data they may even move in with a family in the community that they are studying to gain more information. Sociologists have also been known to move into a community and with a family that they are studying for a long period of time. If both groups can establish trust between the observer and the group being studied the outcome and results will be better, but will be hard for other researchers to duplicate and thus some scholars may reject these studies. This research method is more time consuming, but will provide more in depth knowledge about the culture that is being studied. Sociologists may use a tool called a social survey to get results from large numbers of people but the results can be more standardized and the response rate could be low and the results given may be what the researcher wants to hear rather than what is actually the truth. They may send out the survey by mail such as the government census that is done every 10 years. Anthropologists do not usually use surveys or questionnaires, but if they do they wait until they have gained the trust of a culture that they have been living with this way they have a more solid result. Cross-culture comparative studies help anthropologists in developing theories that can explain the differences or any similarities that happen between cultures. Gathering data from other researchers helps the anthropologists to find out if a particular hypothesis is just a characteristic of one culture or does it span worldwide which can bring on a greater meaning to man. A sociologist may use cross-culture research study that surveys the same population over several different times resulting in looking at changes over a long period of time or it can reveal variations across different groups of people. Both anthropologist and sociologist will uses this method that consist of data from participant observations and surveys that have already been collected from other social scientists to generate their own hypotheses.

References
Anthropology Research Techniques. (2011, April 15). Retrieved October 28, 2014, from http://www.ehow.com/info_8233096_anthropology-research-techniques.html
Haviland, W. (2011). Books Anthropology, the Human Challenge (12th ed.) [VitalBook file.Bookshelf]. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods. (2011, March 31). Retrieved October 27, 2014, from http://www.ehow.com/info_8144495_qualitative-quantitative-research-methods.html
Qualitative Research Methods in Sociology. (2011, April 16). Retrieved October 27, 2014, from http://www.ehow.com/info_8240715_qualitative-research-methods-sociology.html
Tischler, H. L. (2013). Introduction to sociology (10th ed., VitalBook File.Bookshelf). Australia: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

References: Anthropology Research Techniques. (2011, April 15). Retrieved October 28, 2014, from http://www.ehow.com/info_8233096_anthropology-research-techniques.html Haviland, W. (2011). Books Anthropology, the Human Challenge (12th ed.) [VitalBook file.Bookshelf]. Retrieved October 29, 2014. Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods. (2011, March 31). Retrieved October 27, 2014, from http://www.ehow.com/info_8144495_qualitative-quantitative-research-methods.html Qualitative Research Methods in Sociology. (2011, April 16). Retrieved October 27, 2014, from http://www.ehow.com/info_8240715_qualitative-research-methods-sociology.html Tischler, H. L. (2013). Introduction to sociology (10th ed., VitalBook File.Bookshelf). Australia: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.