CHAPTER 15, READING AND WRITING SOCIAL RESEARCH
Feb 12, 2016
CHAPTER 15, READING AND WRITING SOCIAL RESEARCH
Chapter Outline Reading Social Research Using the Internet Wisely Writing Social Research The Ethics of Reading and Writing Social
Research Quick Quiz
Reading Social Research Organizing a Review of the Literature
Determine keywords (a key concept or population)
Practice: Identify keywords if you were interested in criminal behavior among female college students.
Practice: Identify keywords if you were interested in cohabitation among gay and lesbian couples.
Conduct a search Library of Congress, school library, online search
engine
Snowball Search
Journals versus Books Reading a Journal Article
Read the Abstract – A summary of a research article (states the purpose of the research, the methods used, and the major findings).
Skim the article, noting section headings and tables and graphs
Read the article in its entirety Review the article
Reading a Book Research Monograph – a book-length research
report. Read the preface or introduction Read the book in its entirety
Evaluating Research Reports Theoretical Orientations Research Design Measurement Sampling Experiments Survey Questions Field Research Content Analysis Analyzing Existing Statistics Comparative and Historical Research Evaluation Research Data Analysis Reporting
Using the Internet Wisely Some Useful Websites
Searching the Web Search Engine – a computer program
designed to locate where specified terms appear on websites throughout the World Wide Web.
Evaluating the Quality of Internet Materials1. Who/What is the author of the website?2. Is the site advocating a particular point of
view?3. Does the website give accurate and complete
references?4. Are the data up-to-date?5. Are the data official?6. Is it a University research site?7. Do the data seem consistent with data from
other sites?
Citing Internet Materials Elements of a Proper Citation
URL – web address (uniform/universal resources locator)
Data and time when site was accessed Author and title, if available Publishing information, if available Location in print form
Writing Social Research General Guidelines
Use proper grammar and spelling Use a style guide (such as The Elements of
Style) Understand functions of scientific reporting
Some Basic Considerations Audience Form and Length of Report Aim of Report
Organization of the Report Purpose and Overview
Provide a brief statement of the purpose of the study and the main findings (in a journal article, this is the abstract).
Review of the Literature Fit your research into the context of existing
scientific knowledge.
Avoiding Plagiarism Plagiarism – Presenting someone else’s words
or thoughts as thought they were your own, constituting intellectual theft.
Study Design and Execution Include the population, the sampling frame, the
sampling method, the sample size, the data collection method, the completion rate, and the methods of data processing and analysis.
Analysis and Interpretation The presentation, manipulation and interpretation of
data should be integrated together
Summary and Conclusions Review significant findings in the context of the larger
project and existing scientific research, review shortcomings and make suggesting for future research
Guidelines for Reporting Analyses Provide maximum data without being cluttered For quantitative data, presenting data such
that the reader can recompute them Describe all aspects of quantitative analysis Provide details Integrate supporting materials Draw explicit conclusions Point out qualifications Write clearly
Going Public
Quick Quiz
1. In most journals, each article beings with a/n _____.A. table of contentsB. indexC. summaryD. abstract
Answer: D.In most journals, each article beings with
an abstract.
2. Most original research is seen as a/n _____ of what has previously been learned about.A. causeB. replacementC. extension
Answer: C.Most original research is seen as an
extension of what has previously been learned about.
3. Which of the following questions might you ask when evaluating data on websites?A. Who is the author of the website?B. Is the site advocating for a particular point of view?C. Does the website give complete references?D. all of the aboveE. none of the above
ANSWER: D.You should ask all of the following questions when evaluating data on websites:A. Who is the author of the website?B. Is the site advocating for a particular point of view?C. Does the website give complete references?
4. Which of the following should be included in a research report?A. purpose and overviewB. review of the literatureC. analysis and interpretationD. all of the aboveE. none of the above
ANSWER: D.All of the following should be included in a research report:A. purpose and overviewB. review of the literatureC. analysis and interpretation