SOCI 413 Study Guide.pdf

SOCI 413 Study Guide Exam 1 Fall Term 2024 Dr...

SOCI 413 Study Guide Exam 1 Fall Term 2024 Dr. Akram Textbook Readings Chapter 1: Introduction Learning Objectives To get a sense of what qualitative research is and what it can accomplish To acquire an overview of the coming chapters To look forward to learning how to carry out your own qualitative study Chapter 2: Asking Questions and Identifying Goals Learning Objectives To understand the importance of questions in social researcher To understand the underlying assumptions associated with qualitative research To comprehend the differences between qualitative and quantitative research To learn about generic social processes and how scholars use them in their research To examine how researchers’ assumptions affect their research question Key Terms Breaching experiment - an experiment using the ethnomethodological perspective in which the researcher breaks one of the unspoken laws Casual knowledge - assumes the world is made up of causes and effects that are external to the individual, observable, and measurable Deductive reasoning - a process of reasoning in which a researcher 1. Puts forth a theory 2. Develops a hypotheses based on the theory 3. Collects data based on the hypotheses 4. Performs an analysis that tests the hypotheses Definition of the situation - Basic concept of symbolic interactionism that states that, in any given situation, an individual’s behaviour is influenced more by their understanding of the situation than by any objective aspects of the situation itself Emergent design - a characteristic of qualitative research. Research strategies change during the course of the research as the researcher becomes familiar with the research setting or social group Ethnomethodology - an approach in which researchers study people to discover how unwritten or invisible rules allow them to go about everyday life Generic social processes - aspects of interaction that transcend individual situations (for example, acquiring perspectives, achieving identity, doing activity, developing relationships, experiencing emotionality, and achieving linguistic fluency Impression management - developed by Erving Goffman (1959), this concept explains how people work to control the impression of themselves that they communicate to others through demeanour, expression, dress, and so on Indigenous methodologies - ways of carrying out research with Indigenous peoples and communities that take into account the legitimacy of Indigenous knowledge systems, receptivity and relationship between researchers and participants, reciprocity with the community, and stories as legitimate way of sharing knowledge Indigenous resurgence - paradigm that includes Indigenous people’s rootedness in the land, accountability to the community, and transformation through awakening to the impact of colonization and through knowledge that is transformational Looking-glass self - the idea that we see ourselves as we believe others see us Mixed-methods research - a recent approach that combines qualitative methods with quantitative methods. Some argue that this approach can result in research findings that are more complete than could be arrived at by either method on its own Moral entrepreneurs - individuals or groups who campaign to establish certain social behaviours as deviant or normative Operationalize - to put a theory into operation by developing hypotheses that are based on the theory Positivism - the belief that we can use the methods of science to uncover “laws” of human behaviour. It implies the ability to predict and, therefore control human behaviour Realist perspective - a view that assumes that reality is out there waiting to be discovered rather than socially constructed Research participants - people who voluntarily take part in a research project, either by allowing the researcher to interview them or by welcoming the researcher into their social setting Symbolic interactionism - a theoretical perspective that assumes that research participants understand their everyday lives and that seeks to discover how meanings are shared and created through social interaction Theoretical saturation - a stage that occurs when the researcher is no longer learning anything new in collecting data, at this point, the researcher stops collecting data Two-eyed seeing - research approach that involves Indigenous and Western ways of knowing equally for the benefit of all Verstehen - German for “sympathetic understanding” Max Weber (1949) used the word to indicate that researchers should strive to see the world from their research participants perspective Chapter 3: Strategies for Designing Research Learning Objectives To understand the origins of qualitative studies, including the role of the sociological imagination To discover common sources of inspiration for research topics To learn to develop researchable questions based on a topic Key Terms Community-based research - a collaborative approach to research that includes community members in the design, implementation, and analysis of a study. The researcher shares control of the study with the community group involved Hierarchy of credibility - the common situation in which those in superordinate position and “experts” are seen as more credible than those in subordinate or marginal social positions Indicators - concrete measures that researcher develop to study abstract concepts Participatory action research (PAR)- a form of community-based research that often aims to identity the needs and priorities of the group and translate findings into a form that can influence social policy or effect interventions to improve the situation of the group Prescriptive - those approaches that dictate right or wrong behaviour. Qualitative research is analytical and descriptive rather than prescriptive Serendipity - In general, a lucky coincidence, Researchers often experience an unexpected, spontaneous moment of inspiration that leads them to discover a social setting, research area or theoretical insight while not actively looking for one Sociological imagination - the capacity to connect the patterns of individuals with those of society. It distinguishes between private troubles and public issues and is used to understand the connection between biography and history. C.W. Mills (1959) called it the “promise of sociology” Chapter 4: Ethics on the Ground: A Moral Compass Learning Objectives To understand the importance of promoting respect for persons, concern for human welfare, and justice in qualitative research To be aware of creating ethical spaces in research involving Indigenous peoples in Canada To develop a moral compass to guide you through the qualitative research process To remember to reflect ethically when writing research Key Terms Ethics code - a code that defines character of a system (for example, a professional research system) in which morals -> an individual’s sense of what is “right” or “proper” in relation to their personal character are applied Presentism - the belief that we can use today’s standards to evaluate older texts and social phenomena Research Ethics Board - a body that assesses the ethical implications of research studies and has the power to approve or reject a research proposal. All Canadian researchers who conduct research involving humans must submit their plans to a research ethics board for approval before carrying out there studies Vocabulary of Motives - the ways in which people describe and explain their reasons for doing things. These “vocabularies” are always tied to a particular social context; as such, they are subject to change and interpretation as one’s social circumstances change