Sociological Research Methods, Essay Example

What is sociological research? Identify and briefly explain the 5 basic steps in the scientific method? Identify and discuss the four major research designs.

Social research specifically identifies with the desire of an individual or a group of individuals concerned about a particular social topic that specifically affects a particular group of individuals in a community. Such desire commences to motivate the ones concerned to formulate a research that would further explore the issues related to the matter they are interested in. With such procedures applied in research, the individuals exploring the topic aim to find solutions to particular problems they see as somewhat detrimental to the growth of the society.

To note, there are particular elements of the scientific method that social researchers put into good use whenever they consider to study a particular issue in the community. Among these procedures include characterization, creation of hypotheses, establishment of prediction and the completion of experiments. Characterization specifically denotes the manner by which the researchers find participants who would embody the general population they would want to study. Creation of hypotheses indicates the explanation on how the different variables considered in a study could actually affect the development on the understanding that is being established in relation to the topic concerned. Creation of predictions simply point out towards the way reasoning and logical deductions are put into good use in relation to the hypotheses being proven in a study. The experimentation process is the primary test that intends to understand whether or not characterization, hypotheses or predictions included in the study are valid enough to support the subject being explored.

There are currently five methods that social researchers tend to use in their studies. One is the observational research; this specific process involves the existence of a particular phenomena being observed by the researchers. Another is the correlational research which involves the examination of two particular variations through collection of empirical data. True Experiments on the other hand includes laboratory study which tends to compare variables based on a specific issue that involves groups of individuals in the community. The quasi-experiment on the other hand, is closely related to experimentation however it usually compares two different group of communities based on one common variable. The last method is the cross-sectional method which intends to observe variables considering a specific group of individuals within a longer length of time. Cross-section observation invokes the utilization of two separate variables as specific parts of the study.

Explain the origins of the Hawthorne effect? Discuss its’ significance for researchers?

This particular effect intends to point out that people tend to change their attitude depending on the changes happening around them. Basically, the theory implicates that change happens upon the occurrence of another change. For instance, in a community, if the environment adjusts, the people adjust well along with the said transformations to be able to survive. This particular attitude is what is being measured in the application of Hawthorne effect in most social researches. Notably, it coincides with the rule that with distinct adjustments of the external connections of humans, they are able to make distinct changes through internal adjustments allowing them to fully adapt to the society or community they have to live along with. Relatively, researchers could use this in relation to how they understand the observations regarding their participants’ reaction and response to environmental changes that are imposed through the physical and social transformations occurring around them.

Describe and critically examine the idea of value neutrality as developed by Max Weber?

The value of neutrality according to Max Weber specifically indicates a distinct relation of two specific orders of ideas that have an implicative impact on how particular elements in the community turn out to be. In this case, a researcher needs to be neutral, not affecting the results through his personal understanding of the situation or that of his personal opinion on the development of the situations involved in the study.

Consider various ways that you might try to disguise your identity in performing a participant observation study of homelessness (the homeless).  To what extent is your research ethical? Discuss the value of obtaining qualitative data compared to obtaining quantitative data?

Being involved as a participant in a study to be able to get the vision of the actual situation is a crucial part of research; it adds a distinct indication on how actuality contributes to the strength of the study. Nevertheless, giving self-limitations on the part of the researcher specifically invokes the need to stay clear of the insights regarding personal issues of the families or individuals involved in the situation. The case invokes the use of qualitative data to define the behavior of the people, while on the other hand, quantitative data intends to showcase the life status of the participants involved.