Key Terms Chapter 02: Sociological Research
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| Words (or words that have the same definition) | The definition is case sensitive | (Optional) Image to display with the definition [Not displayed in Glossary, only in pop-up on pages] | (Optional) Caption for Image | (Optional) External or Internal Link | (Optional) Source for Definition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Eg. "Genetic, Hereditary, DNA ...") | (Eg. "Relating to genes or heredity") |  | The infamous double helix | https://bio.libretexts.org/ | CC-BY-SA; Delmar Larsen |
| Word(s) | Definition | Image | Caption | Link | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case Study | in-depth analysis of a single event, situation, or individual | ||||
| Code of Ethics | a set of guidelines that the American Sociological Association has established to foster ethical research and professionally responsible scholarship in sociology | ||||
| Content Analysis | applying a systematic approach to record and value information gleaned from secondary data as it relates to the study at hand | ||||
| Correlation | when a change in one variable coincides with a change in another variable, but does not necessarily indicate causation | ||||
| Dependent Variables | a variable changed by other variables | ||||
| Empirical Evidence | evidence that comes from direct experience, scientifically gathered data, or experimentation | ||||
| Ethnography | observing a complete social setting and all that it entails | ||||
| Experiment | the testing of a hypothesis under controlled conditions | ||||
| Field Research | gathering data from a natural environment without doing a lab experiment or a survey | ||||
| Hawthorne Effect | when study subjects behave in a certain manner due to their awareness of being observed by a researcher | ||||
| Hypothesis | a testable educated guess about predicted outcomes between two or more variables | ||||
| Independent vVriables | variables that cause changes in dependent variables | ||||
| Interpretive Framework | a sociological research approach that seeks in-depth understanding of a topic or subject through observation or interaction; this approach is not based on hypothesis testing | ||||
| Interview | a one-on-one conversation between the researcher and the subject | ||||
| Literature Review | a scholarly research step that entails identifying and studying all existing studies on a topic to create a basis for new research | ||||
| Meta-analysis | a technique in which the results of virtually all previous studies on a specific subject are evaluated together | ||||
| Nonreactive Research | using secondary data, does not include direct contact with subjects and will not alter or influence people’s behaviors | ||||
| Operational Definitions | specific explanations of abstract concepts that a researcher plans to study | ||||
| Participant Observation | when a researcher immerses herself in a group or social setting in order to make observations from an “insider” perspective | ||||
| Population | a defined group serving as the subject of a study | ||||
| Primary Data | data that are collected directly from firsthand experience | ||||
| Qualitative Data | comprise information that is subjective and often based on what is seen in a natural setting | ||||
| Quantitative Data | represent research collected in numerical form that can be counted | ||||
| Random Sample | a study’s participants being randomly selected to serve as a representation of a larger population | ||||
| Reliability | a measure of a study’s consistency that considers how likely results are to be replicated if a study is reproduced | ||||
| Samples | small, manageable number of subjects that represent the population | ||||
| Scientific Method | an established scholarly research method that involves asking a question, researching existing sources, forming a hypothesis, designing and conducting a study, and drawing conclusions | ||||
| Secondary Data Analysis | using data collected by others but applying new interpretations | ||||
| Surveys | collect data from subjects who respond to a series of questions about behaviors and opinions, often in the form of a questionnaire | ||||
| Validity | the degree to which a sociological measure accurately reflects the topic of study | ||||
| Value Neutrality | a practice of remaining impartial, without bias or judgment during the course of a study and in publishing results |