2.5: Key Terms

accuracy

using a tool makes the measuring more precise.

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

debunking

looking beyond the obvious to expose falseness by examining merit, logic, and evidence.

dependent variables

a variable changed by other variables

empirical evidence

evidence that comes from direct observations, scientifically gathered data, or experimentation

ethnography

participating and observing thinking and behavior in a social setting

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 variables

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

nonreactive research

using secondary data, does not include direct contact with research subjects and does 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

non-numerical, descriptive data that is often subjective and based on what is experienced in a natural setting

quantitative data

data collected in numerical form that can be counted and analyzed using statistics

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 that involves asking a question, researching existing sources, forming a hypothesis, designing a data collection method, gathering data, and drawing conclusions

secondary data analysis

using data collected by others and applying new interpretations

surveys

collect data from subjects who respond to a series of questions about thinking, 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