Soc 300W: Methods in Social Research
Study Guide 3
Dr. Zhang Jie
I.
Topics
Appropriate to Experiments
II.
The
Classical Experiment
A. Independent and dependent variables
B. Pretesting and posttesting
C. Experimental and control groups
D. The double-blind experiment
III. Selecting Subjects
A. Probability sampling
B. Randomization
C. Matching
D. Matching or randomization?
IV. Variations on Experimental Design
. A. Preexperimental research designs
1. One-shot case study
2. One-group pretest-posttest design
3. Static-group comparison
B. Validity issues in experimental research
1. Sources of internal invalidity
a. History
b. Maturation
c. Testing
d. Instrumentation
e. Statistical regression
f. Selection biases
g. Experimental mortality
h. Causal time-order
i. Diffusion or imitation of treatments
j. Compensation
k. Compensatory rivalry
l. Demoralization
2. Sources of external invalidity
V. An Illustration of Experimentation
VI.
Alternative
Experimental Settings
A. Web-based experiments
B. “Natural” experiments
VII. Strengths and Weaknesses of the Experimental Method
I. Topics Appropriate to Survey Research
II. Guidelines for Asking Questions
A. Choose appropriate question forms
1. Questions and statements
2. Open-ended and closed-ended questions
B. Make items clear
C. Avoid double-barreled questions
D. Respondents must be competent to answer
E. Respondents must be willing to answer
F. Questions should be relevant
G. Short items are best
H. Avoid negative items
I. Avoid biased items and terms
III. Questionnaire Construction
A. General questionnaire format
B. Formats for respondents
C. Contingency questions
D. Matrix questions
E. Ordering items in a questionnaire
F. Questionnaire instructions
G. Pretesting the questionnaire
H. A composite illustration
IV. Self-administered Questionnaires
A. Mail distribution and return
B. Monitoring returns
C. Follow-up mailings
D. Acceptable response rates
E. A case study
V. Interview Surveys
A. The role of the survey interviewer
B. General guidelines for survey interviewing
1. Appearance and demeanor
2. Familiarity with questionnaire
3. Follow question wording exactly
4. Record responses exactly
5. Probing for responses
C. Coordination and control
VI. Telephone Surveys
A. Computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI)
B. Response rates in interview surveys
VII. New Technologies and Survey Research
VIII. Comparison of the Different Survey Methods
IX. Strengths and Weaknesses of Survey Research
X. Secondary Analysis
I. Topics Appropriate to Field Research
II. Special Considerations in Qualitative Field Research
A. The various roles of the observer
B. Relations to subjects
III. Some Qualitative Field Research Paradigms
A. Naturalism
B. Ethnomethodology
C. Grounded theory
D. Case studies and the extended case method
V. Research Ethics in Qualitative Field Research
VI. Strengths and Weaknesses of Qualitative Field Research
A. Validity
B. Reliability
I. Content Analysis
A. Topics appropriate to content analysis
B. Sampling in content analysis
1. Units of analysis
2. Sampling techniques
C. Coding in content analysis
1. Manifest and latent content
2. Conceptualization and the creation of code categories
3. Counting and record keeping
4. Qualitative data analysis
D. Illustrations of content analysis
E. Strengths and weaknesses of content analysis
II. Analyzing Existing Statistics
A. Durkheim’s study of suicide
B. Units of analysis
C. Problems of validity
D. Problems of reliability
E. Sources of existing statistics
III. Comparative and Historical Research