SOC2002 Lecture 3
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The document discusses steps in the social research process, including moving from a research question to research design. It covers choosing indicators to measure concepts, and planning the project by breaking it into phases and using a Gantt chart to manage timelines and resources. Philosophy influences research design and outcomes, so researchers should reflect on their assumptions. Overall planning and defining indicators are important for effective research design.
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SOC2002 Lecture 3
- 1. SOC2002: Sociological Analysis and Research Methods LECTURE 3: Social Research Design (3) Lecturer: Bonnie Green [email_address]
- 2. Social Research Design (3): Recap Last week we looked at: What is social research and why do we do it? Characteristics of social research Social research as a process
- 3. The research process: an overview Reporting Topic/Object 1 2 3 4 5 6 Research question Research design Data collection Data analysis Interpretation
- 4. Social Research Design (3): Recap Last week we looked at: What is social research and why do we do it? Characteristics of social research Social research as a process STEP 1: topic/object to research question “ progressive focussing” The literature review (further resources on the webCT)
- 5. Social Research Design (3): Today STEP 2: research question to research design Choosing, developing and/or identifying indicators Project planning
- 6. The research process: an overview Reporting Topic/Object 1 2 3 4 5 6 LECTURES 2 & 3 Research question Research design Data collection Data analysis Interpretation Literature review, and/or field reconnaissance Choosing indicators & Project Planning
- 7. Social Research Design (3): Today STEP 2: research question to research design Choosing, developing and/or identifying indicators Project planning But first…
- 8. Social Research Design (3): Today STEP 2: research question to research design Choosing, developing and/or identifying indicators Project planning But first… some philosophy
- 9. Social Research Design (3): The philosophy of social research What is the connection between social research and philosophy? Why is it important for social researchers to consider the philosophical aspects of their work? How is this going to help me?
- 10. The connection between philosophy and social research What is philosophy concerned with? The nature of the world ‘ truth’, ‘fact’, ‘proof’, epistemology Employs various techniques: introspection
- 11. The connection between philosophy and social research What is philosophy concerned with? The nature of the world ‘ truth’, ‘fact’, ‘proof’, epistemology Employs various techniques: introspection What is social research concerned with? The nature of the world ‘ explanation’, ‘understanding’, “the quantity or quality of a phenomenon” (Williams and May, 1996: 8) Employs various techniques: survey
- 12. The connection between philosophy and social research How do these interests intersect? “philosophy and social research aim to improve our knowledge of the world” (Williams and May, 1996: 9) Social research may be driven by abstract concerns Social research is always underpinned by a particular philosophical framework and this has implications for the outcomes of research
- 13. The connection between philosophy and social research Other ways of thinking about this connection: In terms of the relationship between science and social science The relationship between data , information and knowledge
- 14. Science & social science Science and social science are comparable: The goal of science is to learn ‘facts’ about the natural world The goal of social science is to learn ‘facts’ about the social world “ two styles of research, one logic of inference” (King, Keohane and Verba, 1994: 3) “ scientific research is designed to make descriptive or explanatory inferences on the basis of empirical information about the world” (ibid. pp. 7)
- 15. The connection between philosophy and social research An Activity!
- 16. The connection between philosophy and social research What do we mean when we say something is data , information or knowledge ? What is the difference between these things? With a partner spend 2 minutes defining each of these terms: Data Information Knowledge
- 17. The connection between philosophy and social research Data: been collected numerical what comes before conclusions First step ‘bad’
- 18. The connection between philosophy and social research Information: interpreted in relation to something? processed data can’t always be verified – open to interpretation
- 19. The connection between philosophy and social research Knowledge: things we believe (to be true) Brought about by research – more ‘concrete’ than information some sort of understanding CONTEXT
- 20. The connection between philosophy and social research Data: 8 out of 10
- 21. The connection between philosophy and social research Data: 8 out of 10 Information: 8 out of 10 cats preferred cat food brand B (Kitty Kat)
- 22. The connection between philosophy and social research Data: 8 out of 10 Information: 8 out of 10 cats preferred cat food brand B (Kitty Kat) Knowledge: Within a highly competitive industry, the result that 8 out of 10 cats still prefer Kitty Kat, despite a reduction in the nutritional content of the food, is highly significant
- 23. Social Research Design (3) STEP 2: research question to research design Choosing, developing and/or identifying indicators Project planning
- 24. The research process: an overview Reporting Topic/Object 1 2 3 4 5 6 LECTURES 2 & 3 Research question Research design Data collection Data analysis Interpretation Literature review, and/or field reconnaissance Choosing indicators & Project Planning
- 25. The research process: Step 2 - research question to research design Indicators What are they? An example Study of the public interest in UK newspaper reporting Research Question: Did UK newspaper coverage of the of the 1990 parliamentary decision regarding the future of stem cell research represent communication in ‘the public interest’?
- 26. The research process: Step 2 - research question to research design The public interest is defined in terms of Neutrality Plurality What are indicators of ‘neutrality’ and ‘plurality’ in newspaper reporting? Degree of evaluation Number of viewpoints represented Presentation of both negative and positive consequences Presentation of both groups advantaged and disadvantaged
- 27. The research process: Step 2 - research question to research design Indicators Observable Unambiguous Clearly defined and linked to underlying concepts Seminar activity: finding indicators for your projects
- 28. The research process: Step 2 - research question to research design Project planning Why is it important? Social research is systematic enquiry Good research projects must have well defined aims and scope Social research is always constrained Social research must be publicly accountable Ethical implications must be assessed How do you do it?
- 29. The research process: Step 2 - research question to research design Break the project down into phases: Literature review Research design Data collection Data analysis Interpretation Writing up &reporting
- 30. The research process: Step 2 - research question to research design Break the project down into phases: Literature review Selection Reviewing Research design Data collection Data analysis Interpretation Writing up & reporting
- 31. The research process: Step 2 - research question to research design Break the project down into phases: Literature review Research design Selecting methods Obtaining approvals Preparing materials Data collection Data analysis Interpretation Writing up & reporting
- 32. The research process: Step 2 - research question to research design Break the project down into phases: Literature review Research design Data collection Negotiating access Interviewing Photographs Data analysis Interpretation Writing up & reporting
- 33. The research process: Step 2 - research question to research design Break the project down into phases: Literature review Research design Data collection Data analysis Data entry Data cleaning Data analysis Interpretation Writing up & reporting
- 34. The research process: Step 2 - research question to research design Consider constraints: How much time do you have? What resources do you have? Do you need ethical approval? Who do you need approval from? What equipment will you need? Will you need particular software for your analysis? Make a Gantt chart!
- 35. The research process: Step 2 - research question to research design What is a Gantt Chart? a scheduling tool for displaying the progression of a project in the form of a bar chart Horizontal axis: time relative to the beginning of the project Vertical axis: a number of rows each representing a phase of the project or task to be completed
- 36. The research process: Step 2 - research question to research design An example: 2 months 6 1 month 5 1 month 4 5 months 3 2 months 2 1 month 1 Dec Nov Oct Sept Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan Duration Task
- 37. Social Research Design (3): Summary Moving from research question to research design: Reflect upon the philosophy underlying your project What assumptions have you made about your topic/object? What might the implications of these be for the data, information, and knowledge you generate? Develop, identify or construct relevant indicators Plan your project effectively. Think about: Constraints Ethics Feasibility