These will be your assignments:

1. Definition of Research
2. Myths about Research
3. Nature of Social Research
4. Divisions of Research
5. IMPORTANT TERMS IN SOCIAL RESEARCH
 Bias – where someone’s personal, subjective feelings or thoughts affect one’s
judgement.
 Case study – researching a single case or example of something using multiple
methods, for example researching one school or factor
 Closed Questions – Questions which have a limited range of answers attached to
them – such as Yes/ No or Likerhert Scale answers.
 Confidentiality – the idea that the information respondents give to the researcher
in the research process is kept private. This is usually achieved through
anonymity.
 Dependent and independent variables – a dependent variable is the object
under study in an experiment, the independent variables are what the researcher
varies to see how they effect the dependent variable.
 Ethnography – an in-depth study of the way of life of a group of people in their
natural setting. Ethnographies are typically long-term studies (over several
months or even years) and aim for a full (or ‘thick’), multi-layered account of the
culture of a group of people.
 Ethics/ ethical factors – ethics means taking into consideration how the research
impacts on those involved with the research process. Ethical research should gain
informed consent, ensure confidentiality, be legal and ensure that respondents and
those related to them are not subjected to harm
 Experiments – experiments aim to measure the effect which one or more
independent variables has on a dependent variable. Experiments typically start off
with a hypothesis, and a good experiment will be designed in such a way that
objective cause and effect relationships can be established between variables, so
that the original hypothesis can verified, or rejected and modified.
 Extraneous variables – undesirable variables which are not of interest to the
researcher but might interfere with the results of the experiment.
 Field experiments – experiments which take place in a real-life setting such as a
classroom, the work place or even the high street. See experiments and related
terms for a fuller definition.
 Focus groups – a type of group interview in which respondents are asked to
discuss certain topics.
 Formal content analysis – a quantitative approach to analysing mass media
content which involves developing a system of classification to analyse the key
 features of media sources and then simply counting how many times these
features occur in a given text.
 Interviews – a method of gathering information by asking questions orally, either
face to face or by telephone. Interviews can be individual or group and there are
three main types of interview – structured, unstructured and semi-structured.
 Open-ended question – questions for which there are no set answers. Open
questions allow individuals to write their own answers or dictate them to
interviewers. For example ‘have you enjoyed studying Sociology this year?’
 Primary data – data collected first hand by the researcher herself. If a sociologist
is conducting her own unique sociological research, she will normally have
specific research questions she wants answered and thus tailor her research
methods to get the data she wants. 
 Qualitative data – refers to information that appears in written, visual or audio
form, such as transcripts of interviews, newspapers and web sites. (It is possible to
analyse qualitative data and display features of it numerically).
 Quantitative data – refers to information that appears in numerical form, or in
the form of statistics.
 Quota sampling – In this method researchers will be told to ensure the sample
fits with certain quotas, for example they might be told to find 90 participants,
with 30 of them being unemployed. The researcher might then find these 30 by
going to a job centre. The problem of representativeness is again a problem with
the quota sampling method.
 Research sample – the actual population selected for the research – also known
as the respondents.
 Sampling – the process of selection a section of the population to take part in
social research.
 Sampling frame – a list from which a sample will be drawn.
 Secondary data – data that has been collected by previous researchers or
organizations such as the government. Quantitative sources of secondary data
include official government statistics and qualitative sources are very numerous
including government reports, newspapers, personal documents such as diaries as
well as the staggering amount of audio-visual content available online
 Target population – all people who could potentially be studied as part of the
research.
SOURCE:https://revisesociology.com/2016/08/02/methods-concepts/

6. GUIDELINES FOR A “GOOD SOCIAL RESEARCH”

The Ten-Point Guide of Social Research
Purpose - Research should have clearly stated objectives. The purpose of the research is
stated clearly and explicitly in a format appropriate to the method of investigation. These
statements of purpose indicate the focus and direction of the research, and provide criteria for the
evaluation of the outcomes of the research.
 Relevance - Research should relate to existing knowledge and needs. The research is
worthwhile when it makes a contribution to the development of existing knowledge and/or
addresses specific practical needs.
Resources - Research should recognize the constraints that time, money and opportunity
impose. The scale and timing of the investigation reflects the resources available to the research
and the opportunities for access to relevant data. In practice, research is a matter of choosing
suitable methods - one that is feasible given the resource constraints within which the
investigation has to operate.
Originality - Research should contribute something new to knowledge. In the choice of
topic, in the methods of investigation or analysis undertaken there is at least one element of
originality and this must be explicitly identified.
Accuracy - Research should produce valid data using reliable methods. The idea that
good research should be accurate is one that has an immediate appeal. After all, what value is
research if it turns out to be inaccurate? The vast majority of people who undertake research,
who read the findings and who judge the quality of the work will operate with the assumption
that research aims to be accurate.
Accountability - Research should include an explicit account of its methodology. To
convince readers about the credibility of the research it is vital that reports of the research,
contain sufficient information for readers to make the necessary judgments.
Generalizations - Research should produce findings from which generalizations can be
drawn. A generalization involves drawing some conclusion about a whole group or category of
things on the basis of information drawn from particular instances or examples.
Objectivity - Researchers need to be open-minded and self-reflective. The research must
be designed, conducted and reported in a genuine spirit of exploration and the research explicitly
acknowledges, as far as possible, the ways in which any vested interests, social values and
aspects of the researcher's self-identity have had a bearing on the nature of the research.
Ethics - Researchers need to recognize the rights and interests of the subject of research.
Due considerations must be given to the impact of the research on those affected by it and, where
it has been reasonable to do so, informed consent has been obtained from those directly involved
in the research. Where appropriate, measures have been taken to maintain the confidentiality of
information and minimize intrusion into people's lives.
Proof - Researchers need to be cautious about claims based on their findings. Proof is
never a matter of faith as far as social researchers are concerned. It is always the product of
enquiry. Proof refers to something that is achieved rather than something that is given. Social
researchers cannot rely on the logic and rationale of an argument unless this is corroborated by
empirical evidence. It relies on evidence that has some calculable qualities. Lastly, as far as
social research is concerned, the idea of proof presumes that evidence has been collected in a
rigorous, systematic and accountable fashion.
SOURCE:https://www.bar.gov.ph/index.php/digest-home/digest-archives/67-2007-3rd-
quarter/3137-july-september07-ground-rules-for-good-social-research

7. TYPES OF EXPLANATIONS IN SOCIAL THEORIES/RESEARCH

Sociological theories are the core and underlying strength of the discipline. They guide
researchers in their studies. They also guide practitioners in their intervention strategies. And
they will provide you with a basic understanding of how to see the larger social picture in your
own personal life. A Theory is a set of interrelated concepts used to describe, explain, and
predict how society and it’s

a. Functionalism or Structural Functionalism Theory. The Functionalist Theory

claims that society is in a state of balance and kept that way through the function
of society's component parts. This theory has underpinnings in biological and
ecological concepts. Society can be studied the same way the human body can be
studied - by analyzing what specific systems are working or not working, diagnosing
problems, and devising solutions to restore balance. Socialization, religious
involvement, friendship, health care, economic recovery, peace, justice and injustice,
population growth or decline, community, romantic relationships, marriage and
divorce, and normal and abnormal family experiences are just a few of the evidences
of functional processes in our society.

b. Social Exchange Theory. Social Exchange claims that society is composed of

ever-present interactions among individuals who attempt to maximize rewards
while minimizing costs. Assumptions in this theory are similar to Conflict theory
assumptions yet have their interactistic underpinnings. Basically, human beings are
rational creatures, capable of making sound choices once the pros and cons of the
choice are understood

c. Conflict theory is especially useful in understanding: war, wealth and poverty, the
haves and the have nots, revolutions, political strife, exploitation, divorce, ghettos,
discrimination and prejudice, domestic violence, rape, child abuse, slavery, and more
conflict-related social phenomena. Conflict Theory claims that society is in a state of
perpetual conflict and competition for limited resources. Conflict Theory assumes
that those who have perpetually try to increase their wealth at the expense and
suffering of those who have not. It is a power struggle which is most often won by
wealthy elite and lost by the common person of common means. Power is the ability
to get what one wants even in the presence of opposition. Authority is the
institutionalized legitimate power.
d. Symbolic Interactionism Theory. Symbolic Interaction claims that society is
composed of ever-present interactions among individuals who share symbols and
their meanings. This is a very useful theory for: understanding other people;
improving communications; learning and teaching skills in cross-cultural relations;
and generally speaking, "not doing harm to your roommates" as many of my students
often say after understanding this theory. Symbolic Interactionism is very powerful in
helping people to understand each other. To understand the other person's symbols
and meanings, is to approach common ground.
SOURCE:https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-hccc-research-
methods/chapter/chapter-4-theories-in-scientific-research/

8. Ethics in Social Research

9. Fundamental Research Ethics Principles
10. Informed Consent
II. Overview of Research Methods in Social Research
11. Quantitative Method of Research
12. Qualitative Method of Research 3
13. Mixed Methods of Research
14. Guidelines in using Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methodologies
15. COMPARISON BETWEEN QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE METHOD OF
RESEARCH
PARAMETERS QUANTITATIVE QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
RESEARCH
GENERAL NATURE Objective approach to seek Subjective approach to seek in-
precise measurement in depth description in narrative
numerical form. form
KNOWLEDGE OF Variables are clearly Researcher may have only rough
STUDY VARIABLE understood and defined in idea about variables in advance
advance by the researcher.
METHODS Researcher tends to remain Researcher tends to become
objectively separated from subjectively immersed in the
the subject matter subject matter.
ANALYSIS Analysis of numerical data Analysis of data such as word,
through descriptive and or pictures or objects through
inferential statistics. descriptive coding, indexing,
narrations, integrative diagrams,
thematic analysis.
SAMPLE Quantitative studies are Qualitative research studies are in
conducted on large. depth studies and therefore have
small siize samples. Thus,
generalization of findings is
generally not possible.
WHEN TO USE  Use quantitative  Use qualitative research if
research if you want you want to understand
to confirm or test something (concepts,
something (a theory thoughts, experiences)
or hypothesis)

AIMS To identify and count the To collect complete, detailed

variable to test or refine the description of variables to
theories and hypothesis develop theories and
assumptions.
 RESEARCH Problem is deductively Problem is inductivelys reasoned
PROBLEM reasoned, which does not and is constantly re-formulated
change over the course of the during the course of the study.
study
PLANNING All aspects of the study are The design emerges as the study
carefully designed before unfolds.
data is collected.
DATA Easier to collect, facilitates Qualitative data is richer, time
testing of hypotheses, but consuming and less generalizable
may mix contextual details.
SOURCE:https://www.slideshare.net/maheswarijaikumar/quantitative-vs-qualitative-
research-108090112
16. Assumptions of Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Method of Research
17. Strengths, Weaknesses, Advantages, and Disadvantages of Quantitative, Qualitative, and
Mixed Methods of Research