Chapter 2 : Asking and Answering Sociological Questions

The Research Process

  Sociologists investigate social life by posing distinct questions and trying to find the answers to these by systematic research. These questions may be factual, comparative, developmental, or theoretical.

  All research begins from a research problem, which interests or puzzles the investigator. Research problems may be suggested by gaps in the existing literature, theoretical debates, or practical issues in the social world. There are a number of clear steps in the development of research strategies-although these are rarely followed exactly in actual research.

Understanding Cause and Effect

  A causal relationship between two events or situations is one in which one event or situation brings about the other. This is more problematic than it seems at first. Causation must be distinguished from correlation, which refers to the existence of a regular relationship between two variables. A variable can be differences in age, income, crime rates, etc. We need to also distinguish independent variables from dependent variables. An independent variable is a variable that produces an effect on another. Sociologists often use controls to ascertain a causal relationship.

Research Methods

  In fieldwork, or participant observation, the researcher spends lengthy periods of time with a group or community being studied. A second method, survey research, involves sending or administering questionnaires to samples of a larger population. Documentary research uses printed materials, from archives or other resources, as a source for information. Other research methods include experiments, the use of life histories, historical analysis, and comparative research.

  Each of these various methods of research has its limitations. For this reason, researchers will often combine two or more methods in their work, each being used to check or supplement the material obtained from the others. This process is called triangulation.

The Influence of Sociology

  Sociological research often poses ethical dilemmas. These may arise either where deception is practiced against those who are the subjects of the research, or where the publication of research findings might adversely affect the feelings or lives of those studied. There is no entirely satisfactory way to deal with these issues, but all researchers have to be sensitive to the dilemmas they pose.

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