Participant Observation In Sociological Research

Sample answer:Some sociologists do surveys and use other quantitative methods. Other sociologists use ethnographic methods and interviews; these are qualitative methods. Some people could try to argue that one approach is better than the other,

The two most common research techniques are to randomly select a nationally representative sample and conduct either a phone or written survey of the subjects. A few researchers select individuals for their survey, but another common technique is to select a random sample of Physicians and interview them about their patients.

There are several parts to the experiment such as both the independent and dependent variables. The independent variable is controlled or changed during the experiment to test the effects on the dependent variable. The dependent variable is tested and measured during the test .A controlled variable is an example for an independent variable would be variable that is held constant throughout the experiment. An example is a theory that could extend a person’s life expectancy. The independent variable is the amount of vitamin given to the subject within the experiment. The dependent variable is the life span

Many sociologists argue that theoretical issues are the most important factors to affect choice of method. Theoretical issues refer to what we think society is like and if we can obtain an accurate and truthful picture of it. There are four different concerns regarding theoretical issues which influence sociologist’s choice of research methods. Validity is a method that gives a true or genuine picture of what something is really like, which helps the researcher easily find out the truth. Sociologists argue that the use of qualitative methods such as Participant Observation gives a more valid, truthful account as it

The North Hanover Mall is an average shopping center with various stores and small attractions. Typically, the mall is not over-crowded; however, during the evenings and weekends it is well-traveled. There are the average chain stores such as JCPenny’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Hallmark, and Bath and Body Works. Likewise, there are some smaller, lesser known stores, for example, a few nail and hair salons, cafes, a pizza shop, and a sports apparel store. In general, there is a diverse mix of people shopping, from ethnicity to ages and group sizes. The night I choose to do my social observation the mall was much busier than I had anticipated. There was a Halloween event and an antique car show; both circumstances brought more individuals than usual into the shopping complex.

| -They produce data on very specific, narrow topic i.e. the relationship between two variables-Experimenting on human beings in care situations raises difficult ethical issues (Moonie, Stretch, et al, 2003).-Participants usually know that they are in an experiment which may affect the behaviour they produce-It may be time consuming(Stanley, Boswell, et al, 2009).

Experimental research concentrates on how and why something happens. It is the evaluation of how an independent variable (a manipulated factor) affects a dependent variable (an observed factor). The outcome can be affected by a number of elements; obtaining random and representative samples of the study population, experimenter bias and extraneous variables.

The study was experimental because: 1) the researchers did manipulate the independent variables, and 2) Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups.

A questionnaire is a list of a research or survey questions asked to respondents, and designed to extract quantitative date. Questionnaires are easily distributed to the community and can be completed and collected on the spot or be emailed or posted back to the researcher. Self completed questionnaires are the most common survey as they are cheap and can be passed to a lot of people. Some sociologists tend not to use questionnaires because of their low response rate and lack of validity. Also, some people may give false information so some researchers like to stick to interviews and experiments for increased accuracy. I will explore why sociologists shy away from using questionnaires.

In Neil Postman’s short essay, “Social Science as Moral Theology,” he describes the social sciences, such as sociology and psychology, not as sciences, but rather as “moral theology” and as “storytelling.” The authors of the textbook Sociology the Essentials would dispute these claims by arguing that social scientists are doing science with their work. In the third chapter labeled, “Doing Sociological Research” there is a section called “The Tools of Sociological Research” that goes into detail of all the different ways sociologists can gather research.

Sociologists observe the world to find a problem or an interesting pattern, then begin to study their findings. They use research methods to design a study, such as a detailed, scientific method for piloting research and obtaining data, or study an outline. The research method is the main step in a sociological study.

There are a number of methods of collecting data, some of them are – questionnaire, surveys, checklists, interviews, observations, focus group etc (Cordray, 1986; Einhorn and Hogarth, 1986).

Sociologists use many different designs and methods to study society and social behavior. Most sociological research involves ethnography, or “field work” designed to depict the characteristics of a population as fully as possible.

How does one observe while simultaneously participating? It is an awkward position for the researcher to be in—the very nature of the term “participant observation” is at odds with each other; therefore the author must keep a degree of distance in order to fully observe and record their observations. At the same time, the author must do as the locals do, which is: it is very important for the researcher to connect with members of the population. As the researcher gets to know the members of a group he or she will be studying, it is important that they learn to make friends quickly so they can be accepted in the community and obtain quality research in the form of observation, interviews, and accurately record field notes. Additionally, the researcher will have to take all their personal thoughts, interviews, and observations and organize the data with an eye towards their own biases and subjectivities. These are some of the positive aspects of participation observation, but there are many potential drawbacks as well.

In survey method research, participants answer questions administered through interviews or questionnaires. After participants answer the questions, researchers describe the responses given. In order for the survey to be both reliable and valid it is important that the questions are constructed properly. Questions should be written so they are clear and easy to comprehend.