Sociologists use many different approaches for conducting a research. Few of the key points to keep in mind while conducting a research are; concept, "a mental construct that represents some part of the world in a simplified form." They use this concept to label the aspects right. Another would be Variable, which is using the right kind of people for the research for whom the research is supposed to be. And measurement, a procedure for determining the value of a variable in a specific case. Khush001
Yes, I would like to think of mental constructs to be very powerful. These symbolic interactions will accumulate to what society is if view is shared with a good amount of people. Choosing the right variable and measurement is very important as you said. I think there are unique variables put into play if the study is being conducted on one person. Optimization of variable is also pretty important before measuring a variable. Researchers need to know how they are going to do this before hand. Also understanding if the variables rely on one or another in cause and effect or if they're simply a correlation is also important. Taylojj2
Following the research process during the study of sociology is very important because a proper study must be done in order to publish the findings. For each study the advantages and the disadvantages help support the date and evidence better. The more data found can help society understand a societal trend. Someone has to research the data for us to learn and understand the process. Researchers use different approaches to conduct their research. Summer001
I agree with you that a proper study must be done in order to publish. Lot of research papers in schools or colleges also do rely on the prior researches and it becomes so important to pass on the right data and right information further on for better researches. Survey, and the interpretation of the research has to be put in simpler words for it to convey the right message out. khush001
Yes i agree, in order to research, the right data must be passed on. This helps society understand the research better. Also i agree that the research need to be put in simpler words for certain people to understand the message correctly. Without learning and teaching we would not have a good understanding of anything. Some people are taught differently so putting the research in different context can help society understand the data better. Summer001
I agree that the more research done is better for the study, but the problem with that is then a study could take decades to complete if the only way to get accurate information is to survey or observe everybody in that category. This is why studies cannot be 100% accurate unless the researcher wants to interview every single person in the population. But, yes the more data collected, the more accurate the conclusion is. swimmer001
Even though less steps were mentioned in the video to doing sociology investigation, the steps that we talked about in class are the same, just more detailed. Selecting a topic is very important step because a researcher wants to make sure that the topic he or she selects is a topic the researcher can be objective about. Because this is so hard to do, it takes lots of time and thought about what to do the research on. After a researcher picks a topic, they are then able to move on to doing the actual research for the topic, or doing the homework. Doing homework is not always fun, but it is necessary. After doing research, the researcher creates a hypothesis which will be the backbone to the rest of the research. And finally, they collect the data by a method of the researcher's choosing or whichever method is logically better. A survey of a population is one option. swimmer001
I agree their homework is very necessary it is important to them they have to do the right research and find as much data that they can on their topic. If they do not do their homework I am sure it would be very difficult for them at the beginning of their research on making a hypothesis. LAWS001
How do you think they come up with topics to research to begin with? Who decides why it is important for us to study or know about a certain group and why they do what they do? After published who is this information helping exactly? I'm just curious to any ones opinion on this. Overall I would hope that it would go to help anyone that might need the help. Every single day everyone is experiencing something whether it is research worthy or not I don't know. Wonder Woman 001
I would say selecting the topic is the most important step along with the reasearcher collecting as much data as they can to do their home work with. The information can then be used for the researcher to make his or her hypothesis.
Proper research and following the ten different steps insures a good investigation and conclusion. The hardest part to doing the research for me, would be to put away my biases and prejudices that I might not know I have. Analyzing the data that is collected would also be a challenge because I’m a talker and I like to bounce ideas around with those I respect. Interpreting what I see and how to say it would take time for me to articulate as well. Depending on the question being asked, the tedious work of sifting through, analyzing and interpreting data is the gist of the work that sociologists do. Arizona001
I agree with you, Arizona001, trying to identify and put aside prejudices while trying to be objective would definitely be the hardest part of conducting sociological research. In a real life scenario, perhaps doing research based on a questionnaire or survey would work best for us because our contact with the subjects would be minimized, making it easier to be objective. thestig001
There seems to have to be 10 different steps to thoroughly research a topic. Since there are so many variables, a structure is definitely needed to keep data controlled. I agree that it would also be difficult to ignore your personal feelings, and biases. More data collected is needed to properly convey your findings .Rosebudd001
I think it's interesting how in this video, the narrator seems to downplay the value of an experimental form of research, but still ends up coming back to it. I, for one, don't quite see how one could really go about doing an experimental form of sociological research. The whole point of performing a lab-based experiment is that the conditions of the experiment can be highly monitored and controlled. While this is great for a chemistry or biology experiment, I think that the lab environment might make most people feel uncomfortable and act differently, something we talked about in class. This behavior is called the "Hawthorne Effect." As a result, I'm just curious how much sociological research is done via the experimental method and how accurate the results are. thestig001
And another thing, I don't believe people can control their objectivity so easily. How would the researcher for the "Deflated Balls" fiasco of Tom Brady be objective? Does he hide out under a log? Packers001
That is an interesting picture to conjure up. When people know that they're being watched, they tend to be on good behavior. I can't imagine what reality t.v. people feel like with such a lens on them. For the most part, I agree with what you said, I think it's more fun to think about it and talk about it, than it is to actually do it. There's so much to try and control when doing the experimental method. Arizona001
Scientific Study of Society. Sociologists conducting research do not go into a lab to do their studies. First they have to define a problem, maybe asking a question about society? Do your homework research what other studies have been conducted on the same study then conduct their own study. They use Physical sciences. Creating hypothesis using relationships between causes. After making the hypothesis they collect, analyze, and evaluate data. They can use surveys, observations, experiments and existing documents. Regardless of what they use to get the data they all have to use a seven step process. Collecting data is the most important step. LAWS001
When it comes to research I would think besides doing the homework or research on whatever particular subject you are doing; just choosing which option to question your subject group would be a challenge. Or for that fact choosing your subject group or population period. Following ethical guidelines would be at the top of my list as a researcher making sure I was doing more good than harm with my research in general. Overall researching is a huge role in figuring out how society works and I find it very interesting. Wonder Woman001
I agree with what you are saying in context to the video that we have had to watch. The researcher has too much control in the experiment process. To control the validity of the research is difficult to control. TooTall001
I agree, choosing the topic of your research is a challenge itself. Researchers main job during their research should be to figure out how their findings can help society, make more good than harm. I also agree with the previous reply, I believe that a researcher may have an uncontrollable bias and can create false facts. Toby001
I think the topic can be anything that goes on in our lives in general really. Yeah, it can be difficult. But, don't think so negatively :). On the bright side lots of things happen in our lives. Think of it this way it is a cause and effect. There is a reason to things always, like a story behind it. A topic can be how strict parenting affects a child's development. Or, how does a woman who has experienced rape or abuse affect the way she sees men and defines a man. I don't know if this helps or if it is even right but, I'm just trying to give a better a idea of how I understood it. :) HollaGurl001
There are too many independent variables to control the subjects in the research investigation. I believe it would be very difficult to not be bias while questioning the population or group that is being studied. I believe the Hawthorne effect just by being studied the subject's behavior would be altered and it would influence the outcome of the research. To some degree I believe objectivity would be impossible. TooTall001
I think the word impossible is a hopeless sounding word. It is impossible for me to be a lot of things, but I do believe given the correct tools and knowledge base I would be able to objectivity analyze data. I agree that it would be extremely difficult and hard to master which is probably why it takes years to actually do great research investigations. SVT001.
Sociology is the scientific study of society. Sociologists are always asking questions about society. Sociologists like to find problems to fix within society. All sociologists should and do homework, not to earn a degree but to truly find out what the literature is pointing to. When watching this video I realized that it is very important to have a systematic approach to collecting data. Data is what the entire research program is for. If I were conducting research I would write a survey for others to complete. I feel surveys are the most truthful out of the options of data collection. When looking at society from an objective and non biased view you can truly begin to learn why society is the way it is. SVT001.
Ok, no one ever says yes to the survey when asked, "after talking to our representative, would you be willing to take a short survey?". No way, surveys stink. Use of existing data is tempting, but that's why I don't cheat, because I have trust issues. Experiment sounds pretty cool, but i still imagine a lab and white coats with pocket protectors. I vote for participant observation. These sociologists have real drive and bravery. Hunter S. Thompson and hanging with the Hell's Angels, rock star level sociology. Packers001
I agree with you and even if you find people to take your survey even though it's anonymous people may still lie on it .So its hard to find the truth from the lie
I think that one of the hardest parts of conducting research would be finding a topic. I am not a very creative person so I know I would struggle with the first step. I believe that researchers doing their homework is one of the most important steps because if that person does not have a clear idea of what they are researching then the hypothesis and all of their work will not be as credible. Surveying people is difficult because many people lie and give an answer on what they believe the researcher wants to hear. Personally, I know I have lied on a survey because I do not want someone judging my life or habits. Toby001
I agree with you on the decision of a topic. It'd have to be a topic I'm guessing that would have to be fairly interesting to the researcher or they would not put forth their best effort. I have also lied on surveys, even anonymous ones. I don't why, I think it may be because I still feel like I should give the right answer as oppose to my honest answer. glassonion001
I think being a sociologist would be a pretty tough job. The part that I am most curious about is how do they determine a problem within society. Do they just see certain things in the media or in the world and decide to conduct experiments? Or do certain people pay them to research a problem that they think is affecting their business, or function of their company? I think that each method of data collecting can be effective in their own way. Surveys are nice because you get answers to questions that you want to know. Observations are effective as well because you see people in their own habitats. The hardest to set up though is probably an experiment because in order for it to be published the experiment has to be close to flawless. glassonion001
Its amazing to know that there are people who are sociologist who do research on our lives and current events. Sociologists sound like there are always so curious. haha :) It is good. One learns a lot from conducting research. It allows one to be open minded to many possibilities. It almost tempts me to try it out. Where it talks about collecting data and research, it reminded me of english courses I have taken at ICC. It reminds me because when you wanna write a paper you need to do lots of research on your topic and it is like the same with when you conduct an experiment. You need to do research to support a claim or thought. That way one can be confident and enjoy the topic. Examining, going out asking questions, surveys all this and more are how to gain more and more data. HollaGurl001
I agree that sociologist seem to be very good at trying to explain how things work and proving their hypothesis. I wonder though how much of this research is put to good use. It's one thing for everyone to accept the solution but it would be even better if we used more of this knowledge to bring about more positive change for society as a whole. Camp012
I couldn't imagine being a sociologist. How not to question everything?? There are so many social issues, you could easily spin your whole life gathering data. So much research needed for any truly unbiased study. I feel that surveys are the least effective way to gather information. First of all, most people just prefer not to take part in most surveys, even if there is a good gimmick included. Also, I feel that even though that most surveys are anonymous, people still tend to be embarrassed, and do not tell the truth. Rosebudd001
I feel as if all of us are sociologists, we just aren't trained or certified to be officially declared as such. I think that the problem of ethics on the social sciences significantly hamstrings any attempt at truly unbiased study. An example of this would be a study on authority in which a scientist tells a volunteer to shock a small puppy (for science) and see how far the volunteer would go as they keep upping the voltage (until it "dies"). A study similar to this was done before, but in today's society it would be considered unacceptable. I think it's because people have become docile, and don't understand TRUE unethical behavior.
Sociologist are unique because they just don't sit in a lab. They go out ask questions , meet people, and dig a little. sociologists ask the big questions and try and connect the dots. They want to find out why people do what they do . I don't think I could be a sociologist because I think it would be to hard you have to dig through all the facts and surveys.Find out the answer to your question then write about it and you could still be wrong cause people lie . Player001
As a sociologist, there are a lot of steps taken when doing research. There research isn't trying find a chemical compound, but it's still a thorough process done carefully. What I like most about this research process is that there may be research already done on what being studied. This could help a sociologist build off this information or compare. I believe the sociological perspective is a way to look at a lot around us but, not when doing research on something. Taylojj2
I am concerned with the idea that one could learn the truth about the world most effectively through Scientism. When we look at Epistemology we realize that this idea is fundamentally flawed. One example is that the statement that science can prove everything cannot be proved by science. Another is that science cannot touch upon subjects such as objective morality or consciousness. Another is that how science is done, it cannot be used to ascertain an objective truth. An example of this is how causation=/= correlation. The last thing I would like to touch upon is how science fundamentally deals with HOW things work, and not WHY. We can measure the correlation between population density and crime rate, but we cannot measure why it happens. When sociology continues into the realm of trying to explain why things happen, I think it throws off the cloak of objective science and turns right into a subjective ideology. FreedomUnderGod1
I found this article to be somewhat dry but it does however review the material we covered in my sociology class quite well. I like that he reinforces the fact that although sociologists have many different ways to study society they all use the seven step method. I think he could have gone into better detail on his examples of collecting data, surveys, and participant observation. I do however think he did a good job in explaining how hypothesis are an important part of starting any study and it has to be a reasonable expectation that the study will support that hypothesis. I also think he gave many good examples of using cause and effect to form that hypothesis. The example he used of the football player Hernandez was probably a good example at the time but at this point it shows the article is somewhat dated since we all know how that story ends.Camp012
I agree with you that this was dry because I can definitely where you're coming from. It was more of the main points to the steps instead of going in actual detail over the 7 main steps. He seemed more bare than anything but yeah he did do a great job explaining the hypothesis and what it does to the study of work. Molly012
The instructor in this video was very detailed, but it seems as though he did not thoroughly explain the seven steps. It could have been just a little longer and had more information to share. This video did make me think of how different sociological studies of the same subject can take so many different directions. There are so many factors that can influence every study / experiment. From different upbringings, to a person's heritage and even simply being male or female. I would be interested to see results of studies conducted at the same time on the same group of people. It would be very interesting to see differences and even similarities of the results. That is what I love about this class so far. I have always tried to think differently or from someone else's point of view, but this class will take that to a whole different level. Even if the same seven steps are followed, many different outcomes will happen. Kane012
I also think it's interesting how many different studies supposedly using the same data are getting so many different outcomes. It makes me wonder if anomalies occur more often across a wide range of study than first believed. I also thought it interesting how cultural roles and standards come into play with so many studies, and that an observer can see the results from many different points of view depending on how the study was conducted. Firedancer012
The instructor in this video was very detailed on some points, but was lacking in some others. For instance, say that someone wasn't familiar with the scientific method? The instructor could have gone into more detail about what exactly the scientific method is, also how to write a hypothesis and carry out a scientific experiment in the correct way. I was also a little confused on what exactly the 7 steps were, I only saw 5 of them outlined. I also think that the instructor could have picked a random topic and walked the audience through the step by step process of finding exactly what he wants from them. I like the idea that sociologists look at the big picture, but use the subtle hints around them that no one else looks at to come to a scientific conclusion. I think with a more detailed and better outlined structure this video could become a very good tool of instruction. Firedancer012
I actually like the whole concept of the term sociology. I liked how the instructor broke down the different points and ways on how sociologist follow similar patters, defines problems and always asked questions on society. I also liked how the instructor talked about the whole concept of cause and affect.
This video gave good step by step process to research any topic. I think the very most important part of the process is finding as many different pieces of information on your topic as possible. The most time will be spent collecting data. The more data you look at, the more confident you will be in what you actually know about the problem. Once you have all the information, you can write your conclusions to publish the study.
The speaker was correct and very helpful in explaining the 7 steps to conduct or use sociology in a correct way. I liked when he said the sociologists actually learn and study every time they use their own study method. When you look on how they do that is very interesting as well, because they are always learning just like everyone else and continuing to use the new information to help use the 7 steps. Even though it was a short and sweet video it did help me in a few ways to actually use my own ways to study and experiment the research and information. I may not nor may others use the exact 7 methods but they are a good starter pack for the information if you do get suck or need a little assistants in or on your topic research. I don't know if I could say I would use this exact method but i would definitely look at it if i needed help with anything of my needs towards the information and how to set things up. Molly012
Great speaker again clear and to the point on the seven steps for researching in sociology. First define problem, asking questions society, doing homework (studying others), create hypothesis , variables, cause and effect, collect the data (using survey, case study etc). There are four research methods he mentions survey, observation, existing documents, and experiments. He goes in details that are easily attainable to understand. Think can definitely help you grasp how to do a research paper and study. compassof4012
In my psychology class we have talked about these steps and how to make research reliable. I find it interesting how in-depth they go to get legit data and they aren't doing it in a research lab. P.O012
Sociology in my opinion is one of the cool scientific branch of sciences, because help us to understand, see, comprehend how culture in the society around the world, behave, interact to each other, live life differently. If we study this science with a open mind we will become more tolerant to others, wise, and understand the world better. Sociology like other science is doing constantly research to improve human lives, following the seven step that is need it to do an study, define a problem, create a hypothesis, collect, analyze, and evaluate the data. study the cause and effect in the problem. futbol012
Basically sociology is what gives us the understanding of how people act in groups and how we form the society we live in. Most people hate the society we live in but we are the ones who form it, so why don't we change it? Sociologist should take time to research why we create a society in which we do not like. The steps of research are very simple but take time in order to be legit. Sociology gives us the right in our mind to make assumptions about things and how to process that based on what we learn through things we hear, see, and are taught. This subject should be taught in schools sooner to gives people a better understanding of what is going on. P.O012
Sociologists use many different approaches for conducting a research. Few of the key points to keep in mind while conducting a research are; concept, "a mental construct that represents some part of the world in a simplified form." They use this concept to label the aspects right. Another would be Variable, which is using the right kind of people for the research for whom the research is supposed to be. And measurement, a procedure for determining the value of a variable in a specific case.
ReplyDeleteKhush001
Yes, I would like to think of mental constructs to be very powerful. These symbolic interactions will accumulate to what society is if view is shared with a good amount of people. Choosing the right variable and measurement is very important as you said. I think there are unique variables put into play if the study is being conducted on one person. Optimization of variable is also pretty important before measuring a variable. Researchers need to know how they are going to do this before hand. Also understanding if the variables rely on one or another in cause and effect or if they're simply a correlation is also important. Taylojj2
DeleteFollowing the research process during the study of sociology is very important because a proper study must be done in order to publish the findings. For each study the advantages and the disadvantages help support the date and evidence better. The more data found can help society understand a societal trend. Someone has to research the data for us to learn and understand the process. Researchers use different approaches to conduct their research.
ReplyDeleteSummer001
I agree with you that a proper study must be done in order to publish. Lot of research papers in schools or colleges also do rely on the prior researches and it becomes so important to pass on the right data and right information further on for better researches. Survey, and the interpretation of the research has to be put in simpler words for it to convey the right message out.
Deletekhush001
Yes i agree, in order to research, the right data must be passed on. This helps society understand the research better. Also i agree that the research need to be put in simpler words for certain people to understand the message correctly. Without learning and teaching we would not have a good understanding of anything. Some people are taught differently so putting the research in different context can help society understand the data better.
DeleteSummer001
I agree that the more research done is better for the study, but the problem with that is then a study could take decades to complete if the only way to get accurate information is to survey or observe everybody in that category. This is why studies cannot be 100% accurate unless the researcher wants to interview every single person in the population. But, yes the more data collected, the more accurate the conclusion is.
Deleteswimmer001
Even though less steps were mentioned in the video to doing sociology investigation, the steps that we talked about in class are the same, just more detailed. Selecting a topic is very important step because a researcher wants to make sure that the topic he or she selects is a topic the researcher can be objective about. Because this is so hard to do, it takes lots of time and thought about what to do the research on. After a researcher picks a topic, they are then able to move on to doing the actual research for the topic, or doing the homework. Doing homework is not always fun, but it is necessary. After doing research, the researcher creates a hypothesis which will be the backbone to the rest of the research. And finally, they collect the data by a method of the researcher's choosing or whichever method is logically better. A survey of a population is one option.
ReplyDeleteswimmer001
I agree their homework is very necessary it is important to them they have to do the right research and find as much data that they can on their topic. If they do not do their homework I am sure it would be very difficult for them at the beginning of their research on making a hypothesis. LAWS001
DeleteHow do you think they come up with topics to research to begin with? Who decides why it is important for us to study or know about a certain group and why they do what they do? After published who is this information helping exactly? I'm just curious to any ones opinion on this. Overall I would hope that it would go to help anyone that might need the help. Every single day everyone is experiencing something whether it is research worthy or not I don't know. Wonder Woman 001
DeleteI would say selecting the topic is the most important step along with the reasearcher collecting as much data as they can to do their home work with. The information can then be used for the researcher to make his or her hypothesis.
DeleteProper research and following the ten different steps insures a good investigation and conclusion. The hardest part to doing the research for me, would be to put away my biases and prejudices that I might not know I have. Analyzing the data that is collected would also be a challenge because I’m a talker and I like to bounce ideas around with those I respect. Interpreting what I see and how to say it would take time for me to articulate as well. Depending on the question being asked, the tedious work of sifting through, analyzing and interpreting data is the gist of the work that sociologists do. Arizona001
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Arizona001, trying to identify and put aside prejudices while trying to be objective would definitely be the hardest part of conducting sociological research. In a real life scenario, perhaps doing research based on a questionnaire or survey would work best for us because our contact with the subjects would be minimized, making it easier to be objective.
Deletethestig001
There seems to have to be 10 different steps to thoroughly research a topic.
DeleteSince there are so many variables, a structure is definitely needed to keep data controlled. I agree that it would also be difficult to ignore your personal feelings, and biases. More data collected is needed to properly convey your findings .Rosebudd001
I think it's interesting how in this video, the narrator seems to downplay the value of an experimental form of research, but still ends up coming back to it. I, for one, don't quite see how one could really go about doing an experimental form of sociological research. The whole point of performing a lab-based experiment is that the conditions of the experiment can be highly monitored and controlled. While this is great for a chemistry or biology experiment, I think that the lab environment might make most people feel uncomfortable and act differently, something we talked about in class. This behavior is called the "Hawthorne Effect." As a result, I'm just curious how much sociological research is done via the experimental method and how accurate the results are.
ReplyDeletethestig001
And another thing, I don't believe people can control their objectivity so easily. How would the researcher for the "Deflated Balls" fiasco of Tom Brady be objective? Does he hide out under a log? Packers001
DeleteThat is an interesting picture to conjure up. When people know that they're being watched, they tend to be on good behavior. I can't imagine what reality t.v. people feel like with such a lens on them. For the most part, I agree with what you said, I think it's more fun to think about it and talk about it, than it is to actually do it. There's so much to try and control when doing the experimental method. Arizona001
ReplyDeleteScientific Study of Society. Sociologists conducting research do not go into a lab to do their studies. First they have to define a problem, maybe asking a question about society? Do your homework research what other studies have been conducted on the same study then conduct their own study. They use Physical sciences. Creating hypothesis using relationships between causes. After making the hypothesis they collect, analyze, and evaluate data. They can use surveys, observations, experiments and existing documents. Regardless of what they use to get the data they all have to use a seven step process. Collecting data is the most important step. LAWS001
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to research I would think besides doing the homework or research on whatever particular subject you are doing; just choosing which option to question your subject group would be a challenge. Or for that fact choosing your subject group or population period. Following ethical guidelines would be at the top of my list as a researcher making sure I was doing more good than harm with my research in general. Overall researching is a huge role in figuring out how society works and I find it very interesting. Wonder Woman001
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you are saying in context to the video that we have had to watch. The researcher has too much control in the experiment process. To control the validity of the research is difficult to control. TooTall001
DeleteI agree, choosing the topic of your research is a challenge itself. Researchers main job during their research should be to figure out how their findings can help society, make more good than harm. I also agree with the previous reply, I believe that a researcher may have an uncontrollable bias and can create false facts. Toby001
DeleteI think the topic can be anything that goes on in our lives in general really. Yeah, it can be difficult. But, don't think so negatively :). On the bright side lots of things happen in our lives. Think of it this way it is a cause and effect. There is a reason to things always, like a story behind it. A topic can be how strict parenting affects a child's development. Or, how does a woman who has experienced rape or abuse affect the way she sees men and defines a man. I don't know if this helps or if it is even right but, I'm just trying to give a better a idea of how I understood it. :)
DeleteHollaGurl001
There are too many independent variables to control the subjects in the research investigation. I believe it would be very difficult to not be bias while questioning the population or group that is being studied. I believe the Hawthorne effect just by being studied the subject's behavior would be altered and it would influence the outcome of the research. To some degree I believe objectivity would be impossible. TooTall001
ReplyDeleteI think the word impossible is a hopeless sounding word. It is impossible for me to be a lot of things, but I do believe given the correct tools and knowledge base I would be able to objectivity analyze data. I agree that it would be extremely difficult and hard to master which is probably why it takes years to actually do great research investigations. SVT001.
DeleteSociology is the scientific study of society. Sociologists are always asking questions about society. Sociologists like to find problems to fix within society. All sociologists should and do homework, not to earn a degree but to truly find out what the literature is pointing to. When watching this video I realized that it is very important to have a systematic approach to collecting data. Data is what the entire research program is for. If I were conducting research I would write a survey for others to complete. I feel surveys are the most truthful out of the options of data collection. When looking at society from an objective and non biased view you can truly begin to learn why society is the way it is. SVT001.
ReplyDeleteOk, no one ever says yes to the survey when asked, "after talking to our representative, would you be willing to take a short survey?". No way, surveys stink. Use of existing data is tempting, but that's why I don't cheat, because I have trust issues. Experiment sounds pretty cool, but i still imagine a lab and white coats with pocket protectors. I vote for participant observation. These sociologists have real drive and bravery. Hunter S. Thompson and hanging with the Hell's Angels, rock star level sociology. Packers001
ReplyDeleteI agree with you and even if you find people to take your survey even though it's anonymous people may still lie on it .So its hard to find the truth from the lie
DeletePlayer001
DeleteI think that one of the hardest parts of conducting research would be finding a topic. I am not a very creative person so I know I would struggle with the first step. I believe that researchers doing their homework is one of the most important steps because if that person does not have a clear idea of what they are researching then the hypothesis and all of their work will not be as credible. Surveying people is difficult because many people lie and give an answer on what they believe the researcher wants to hear. Personally, I know I have lied on a survey because I do not want someone judging my life or habits. Toby001
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on the decision of a topic. It'd have to be a topic I'm guessing that would have to be fairly interesting to the researcher or they would not put forth their best effort. I have also lied on surveys, even anonymous ones. I don't why, I think it may be because I still feel like I should give the right answer as oppose to my honest answer. glassonion001
DeleteI think being a sociologist would be a pretty tough job. The part that I am most curious about is how do they determine a problem within society. Do they just see certain things in the media or in the world and decide to conduct experiments? Or do certain people pay them to research a problem that they think is affecting their business, or function of their company? I think that each method of data collecting can be effective in their own way. Surveys are nice because you get answers to questions that you want to know. Observations are effective as well because you see people in their own habitats. The hardest to set up though is probably an experiment because in order for it to be published the experiment has to be close to flawless. glassonion001
ReplyDeleteIts amazing to know that there are people who are sociologist who do research on our lives and current events. Sociologists sound like there are always so curious. haha :)
ReplyDeleteIt is good. One learns a lot from conducting research. It allows one to be open minded to many possibilities. It almost tempts me to try it out. Where it talks about collecting data and research, it reminded me of english courses I have taken at ICC. It reminds me because when you wanna write a paper you need to do lots of research on your topic and it is like the same with when you conduct an experiment. You need to do research to support a claim or thought. That way one can be confident and enjoy the topic. Examining, going out asking questions, surveys all this and more are how to gain more and more data.
HollaGurl001
I agree that sociologist seem to be very good at trying to explain how things work and proving their hypothesis. I wonder though how much of this research is put to good use. It's one thing for everyone to accept the solution but it would be even better if we used more of this knowledge to bring about more positive change for society as a whole. Camp012
DeleteI couldn't imagine being a sociologist. How not to question everything?? There are so many social issues, you could easily spin your whole life gathering data. So much research needed for any truly unbiased study. I feel that surveys are the least effective way to gather information. First of all, most people just prefer not to take part in most surveys, even if there is a good gimmick included. Also, I feel that even though that most surveys are anonymous, people still tend to be embarrassed, and do not tell the truth. Rosebudd001
ReplyDeleteI feel as if all of us are sociologists, we just aren't trained or certified to be officially declared as such. I think that the problem of ethics on the social sciences significantly hamstrings any attempt at truly unbiased study. An example of this would be a study on authority in which a scientist tells a volunteer to shock a small puppy (for science) and see how far the volunteer would go as they keep upping the voltage (until it "dies"). A study similar to this was done before, but in today's society it would be considered unacceptable. I think it's because people have become docile, and don't understand TRUE unethical behavior.
DeleteSociologist are unique because they just don't sit in a lab. They go out ask questions , meet people, and dig a little. sociologists ask the big questions and try and connect the dots. They want to find out why people do what they do . I don't think I could be a sociologist because I think it would be to hard you have to dig through all the facts and surveys.Find out the answer to your question then write about it and you could still be wrong cause people lie . Player001
ReplyDeleteAs a sociologist, there are a lot of steps taken when doing research. There research isn't trying find a chemical compound, but it's still a thorough process done carefully. What I like most about this research process is that there may be research already done on what being studied. This could help a sociologist build off this information or compare. I believe the sociological perspective is a way to look at a lot around us but, not when doing research on something. Taylojj2
ReplyDeleteI am concerned with the idea that one could learn the truth about the world most effectively through Scientism. When we look at Epistemology we realize that this idea is fundamentally flawed. One example is that the statement that science can prove everything cannot be proved by science. Another is that science cannot touch upon subjects such as objective morality or consciousness. Another is that how science is done, it cannot be used to ascertain an objective truth. An example of this is how causation=/= correlation. The last thing I would like to touch upon is how science fundamentally deals with HOW things work, and not WHY. We can measure the correlation between population density and crime rate, but we cannot measure why it happens. When sociology continues into the realm of trying to explain why things happen, I think it throws off the cloak of objective science and turns right into a subjective ideology. FreedomUnderGod1
ReplyDeleteI found this article to be somewhat dry but it does however review the material we covered in my sociology class quite well. I like that he reinforces the fact that although sociologists have many different ways to study society they all use the seven step method. I think he could have gone into better detail on his examples of collecting data, surveys, and participant observation. I do however think he did a good job in explaining how hypothesis are an important part of starting any study and it has to be a reasonable expectation that the study will support that hypothesis. I also think he gave many good examples of using cause and effect to form that hypothesis. The example he used of the football player Hernandez was probably a good example at the time but at this point it shows the article is somewhat dated since we all know how that story ends.Camp012
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that this was dry because I can definitely where you're coming from. It was more of the main points to the steps instead of going in actual detail over the 7 main steps. He seemed more bare than anything but yeah he did do a great job explaining the hypothesis and what it does to the study of work. Molly012
DeleteThe instructor in this video was very detailed, but it seems as though he did not thoroughly explain the seven steps. It could have been just a little longer and had more information to share. This video did make me think of how different sociological studies of the same subject can take so many different directions. There are so many factors that can influence every study / experiment. From different upbringings, to a person's heritage and even simply being male or female. I would be interested to see results of studies conducted at the same time on the same group of people. It would be very interesting to see differences and even similarities of the results. That is what I love about this class so far. I have always tried to think differently or from someone else's point of view, but this class will take that to a whole different level. Even if the same seven steps are followed, many different outcomes will happen. Kane012
ReplyDeleteI also think it's interesting how many different studies supposedly using the same data are getting so many different outcomes. It makes me wonder if anomalies occur more often across a wide range of study than first believed. I also thought it interesting how cultural roles and standards come into play with so many studies, and that an observer can see the results from many different points of view depending on how the study was conducted. Firedancer012
DeleteThe instructor in this video was very detailed on some points, but was lacking in some others. For instance, say that someone wasn't familiar with the scientific method? The instructor could have gone into more detail about what exactly the scientific method is, also how to write a hypothesis and carry out a scientific experiment in the correct way. I was also a little confused on what exactly the 7 steps were, I only saw 5 of them outlined. I also think that the instructor could have picked a random topic and walked the audience through the step by step process of finding exactly what he wants from them. I like the idea that sociologists look at the big picture, but use the subtle hints around them that no one else looks at to come to a scientific conclusion. I think with a more detailed and better outlined structure this video could become a very good tool of instruction. Firedancer012
ReplyDeleteI actually like the whole concept of the term sociology. I liked how the instructor broke down the different points and ways on how sociologist follow similar patters, defines problems and always asked questions on society. I also liked how the instructor talked about the whole concept of cause and affect.
ReplyDeleteThis video gave good step by step process to research any topic. I think the very most important part of the process is finding as many different pieces of information on your topic as possible. The most time will be spent collecting data. The more data you look at, the more confident you will be in what you actually know about the problem. Once you have all the information, you can write your conclusions to publish the study.
ReplyDeleteThe speaker was correct and very helpful in explaining the 7 steps to conduct or use sociology in a correct way. I liked when he said the sociologists actually learn and study every time they use their own study method. When you look on how they do that is very interesting as well, because they are always learning just like everyone else and continuing to use the new information to help use the 7 steps. Even though it was a short and sweet video it did help me in a few ways to actually use my own ways to study and experiment the research and information. I may not nor may others use the exact 7 methods but they are a good starter pack for the information if you do get suck or need a little assistants in or on your topic research. I don't know if I could say I would use this exact method but i would definitely look at it if i needed help with anything of my needs towards the information and how to set things up. Molly012
ReplyDeleteGreat speaker again clear and to the point on the seven steps for researching in sociology. First define problem, asking questions society, doing homework (studying others), create hypothesis , variables, cause and effect, collect the data (using survey, case study etc). There are four research methods he mentions survey, observation, existing documents, and experiments. He goes in details that are easily attainable to understand. Think can definitely help you grasp how to do a research paper and study. compassof4012
ReplyDeleteIn my psychology class we have talked about these steps and how to make research reliable. I find it interesting how in-depth they go to get legit data and they aren't doing it in a research lab. P.O012
DeleteSociology in my opinion is one of the cool scientific branch of sciences, because help us to understand, see, comprehend how culture in the society around the world, behave, interact to each other, live life differently. If we study this science with a open mind we will become more tolerant to others, wise, and understand the world better. Sociology like other science is doing constantly research to improve human lives, following the seven step that is need it to do an study, define a problem, create a hypothesis, collect, analyze, and evaluate the data. study the cause and effect in the problem. futbol012
ReplyDeleteBasically sociology is what gives us the understanding of how people act in groups and how we form the society we live in. Most people hate the society we live in but we are the ones who form it, so why don't we change it? Sociologist should take time to research why we create a society in which we do not like. The steps of research are very simple but take time in order to be legit. Sociology gives us the right in our mind to make assumptions about things and how to process that based on what we learn through things we hear, see, and are taught. This subject should be taught in schools sooner to gives people a better understanding of what is going on. P.O012
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