SOCA02H3 Chapter 2: Chapter 2 – How Sociologist Do Research.docx
Document Summary
Sociological research seeks to overcome the kind of unscientific thinking described above. It is the cyclical process that involves six steps. The process: sociologist must formulate a research question. A research question must be stated so it can be answered by systematically collecting and analyzing sociological data. These answers have to be answered through evidence: sociologist must review the existing research literature. Researchers must elaborate their research questions in light of what other sociologists have already debated and discovered: selecting a research method. Each data collection method has strengths and weaknesses, therefore we must keep this in mind when selecting a method: collecting data. Through observing subjects, interviewing them, reading documents produced by or about them: analyzing the data, the most challenging. It is the time when data confirm some of your expectations and confound others, requiring you to think creatively about family issues, reconsider the relevant theoretical and research literature and abandon pets: publish the results in a report.
