sociologi kap 2

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• Quantitative research Research that translates the social world into numbers that can be treated mathematically; this type of research often tries to find cause-and-effect relationships
• Qualitative research Research that works with nonnumerical data such as texts, field notes, interview transcripts, photographs, and tape recordings; this type of research often tries to understand how people make sense of their world.
• Scientific method A procedure for acquiring knowledge that emphasizes collecting concrete data through observation and experimentation.
• Literature review A thorough search through previously published studies relevant to a particular topic.
• Hypothesis A theoretical statement explaining the relationship between two or more phenomena.
• Variables Two or more phenomena that a researcher believes are related; these will be examined in the experiment.
• Operational definition A clear and precise definition of a variable that facilitates its measurement.
• Replicability he ability of research to be repeated and, thus, later verified by other researchers.
• Correlation A relationship between variables in which they change together and may or may not be causal.
• Causation A relationship between variables in which a change in one direction produces a change in the other.
• Intervening variable A third variable, sometimes overlooked, that explains the relationship between two other variables.
• Deductive approach An approach whereby the researcher formulates a hypothesis first and then gathers data to test that hypothesis.
• Inductive approach An approach whereby the researcher gathers data first, then formulates a theory to fit the data.
• Ethnography Study people in their own environment in order to understand the meanings they attribute to their activities; also, the written work that results from the study.
• Participant observation A methodology associated with ethnography whereby the researcher both observes and becomes a member of a social setting.
• Rapport A positive relationship often characterized by mutual trust of sympathy
• Field notes Detailed notes taken by an ethnographer describing their activities and interactions, which later become the basis of the analysis.
• Auto ethnography A form of participant observation in which the feelings and actions of the researcher become a focal point of the ethnographic study.
• Thick description The presentation of detailed data on interactions and meaning within a cultural context, from the perspective of its members.
• Reflexivity How the identity and activities of the researcher influence what is going on in the field setting.
• Grounded theory An inductive method of generating theory from data by creating categories in which to place data and then looking for relationships among categories.
• Representativeness The degree to which a particular studied group is similar to, or represents, any part of the larger society.
• Validity The degree to which a researcher is measuring what they think they are measuring.
• Interviews Person-to-person conversations.
• Respondent A participant in a study from whom the researcher seeks to gather information.
• Target population The entire group about which a researcher would like to b able to generalize.
• Sample The members of the target population who will actually be studied.
• Focus group A process of interviewing a number of participants together that also allows for interaction among group members.
• Informed consent A safeguard through which the researcher makes sure that respondents are freely participating and understand the nature of the research.
• Closed-ended question - A question asked of a response that imposes a limit on the possible responses.
• Open-ended question A question asked of a respondent that allows the answer to take whatever form the respondent chooses.
• Leading questions Questions that predispose a respondent to answer in a certain way.
• Life history An approach to interviewing that asks for a chronological account of the respondent´s entire life or some portion of it.
• Surveys Questionnaires that are administered to a sample of respondents selected from a target population
• Likert scale A way of formatting a survey questionnaire so that the respondent can choose an answer along a continuum.
• Negative questions Survey questions that ask respondents what they don't think instead of what they do think.
• Pilot study A small-scale study carried out to test the feasibility of conducting a study on a larger scale.
• Probability sampling Any sampling procedure that uses randomization.
• Simple random sample A particular type of probability sample in which every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected.
• Response rate The number of percentages of surveys completed by respondents and returned to researchers.
• Reliability The consistency of a question or measurement tool; The degree to which the same questions will produce similar answers.
• Existing sources Materials that have been produced for some other reason but that can be used as data for social research.
• Unobtrusive measures Research methods that rely on existing sources and whereby the researcher does not intrude upon or disturb the social setting or its subjects.
• Comparative historical research Research that uses existing sources to study relationships among elements of society in various regions and time periods.
• Content analysis A method in which researchers identify and study specific variables or themes that appear in a text, image, or media message.
• Experiments Formal tests of specific variables and effects performed in a setting where all aspects of the situation can be controlled.
• Experimental group The members of a test group who receive the experimental treatment.
• Control group The members of a test group who are allowed to continue without intervention so that they can be compared with the experimental group.
• Independent variable The factor that is predicted to cause change.
• Dependent variable The factor is changed (or not) by the independent variable.
• Spurious correlation the appearance of causation produced by an intervening variable
• Bias an opinion held by the researcher that might affect the research or analysis
• Basic research the search for knowledge without an agenda or practical goal in mind
• Applied research the search for knowledge that can be used to create social change
• Objectivity impartiality; the ability to allow the facts to speak for themselves
• Reactivity the tendency of people and events to react to the process of being studied
• Hawthorne effect a specific example of reactivity, in which the desired effect is the result not of the independent variable but of the research itself
• Deception the extent to which the participants in a research project are unaware of the project or its goals
• Confidentiality the assurance that no one other than the researcher will know the identity of a respondent
• Code of ethics a set of official standards of conduct that the members of a group are expected to uphold.
• Institutional review board a committee that has been formally designated to approve, monitor, and review biomedical and behavioral research involving humans with the aim to protect the rights and welfare of the research subjects.

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