SOCIOL 2Z03 Study Guide - Fall 2018, Comprehensive Midterm Notes - Memory, Dependent And Independent Variables, Grounded Theory
12 Oct 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
SOCIOL 2Z03
MIDTERM EXAM
STUDY GUIDE
Fall 2018
2Z03 BEFORE MIDTERM
Basic Concepts: September 11
• Theory
• Purpose of Research
• Middle Range Theories
• Grand Theories
•
• Hypotheses: specific statements about how variables will relate to one another in a research
study. Trying to confirm or reject said hypotheses. Positivist stream of thought and quantitative
(through the statistic objectiveness we can confirm or reject)
• Variables: independent (lead to a change or difference) and dependent variables (change as a
result of the independent variable, remains static, DEPENDENT ON THE INDEPENDENT).
▪ Dependent variable doesn’t have to change, and doesn’t always change. We are
just trying to see if that relationship exists
o E.g. sociodemographic
o Things we need to change in some way
• Operationalization refers to a measureable concept
o Breaking things down to something more tangible
• Sampling: sample population is not easy or a quick process
1. Probability sampling: uses random selection methods associated with quantitative methods. Less
sampling bias, larger population size (?)
2. Non-probability sampling: does not use random selection methods associated with qualitative
research
a. Focus groups, snowball sampling, easier (?)
• Causality: underpins different types of research designs in social research in both qualitative and
quantitative
o Does some type of relationship exist
o Causal relationship
o Casuality and correlation
• Reliability: results that remain the same each time the same measure is used on the same subject.
No change (contingent on not changing conditions) and then were losing ability reliability
• Replicability: results remain the same when others repeat all or part of the study
• Validity: concerned with the integrity of the conclusion generated by a piece of research.
Concerns with end results, are they studying what they intended to measure, are the valid
o Types of validity: each can have an impact on the overall type of study
QUANTITATIVE STUDIES USE THIS A LOT
1. Measurement validity (construct validity): measuring what is intending to be
measured
2. Internal validity: concerned with the issue of whether causation have been
established by a particular study
3. External validity (and two primary concerns):
a. Are the findings applicable to situations outside the research
environment
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
b. Can the findings be generalized beyond the people or cases studied (did
something happen in the study to make these studies not applicable)
Many argue the above measures are more applicable to quantitative than qualitative work
• Evaluating qualitative research
o Lincoln and Guba maintain: qualitative work should be judged by different standards
• Trustworthiness includes: evaluate quantitative research that is generated. Difficult process to
replicate qualitative studies
I. Credibility (internal validity)
II. Transferability (external validity) almost the same as generalization
III. Dependability (reliable)
IV. Confirmability (replicability)
General orientations: quantitative and qualitative research: RESEARCH DIVIDE
• TABLE 1.1. FROM TEXTBOOK (CHAPTER 1)
• Qualitative research often exhibits features associated with the natural science model:
o Realism
o Positivism
▪ Epistemological orientation
o Objectivism
▪ Ontological orientation
o Deductive: testing of theory
• Qualitative research exhibits features associated with the natural science model:
o Hypothesis and theory testing
o Realism: middle way between constructivist and objectivist debate
• Qualitative:
o Inductive
o Interpretivist
▪ Epistemological orientation
o Constructionism
▪ Ontological orientation
o Inductive: Generation of theory
• Qualitative research exhibits features associated with the natural science model:
o Hypothesis and theory testing
o Realism: middle way between constructivist and objectivist debate
• Symbolic Interactionalism: 3 schools of though
o Chicago school
o Iowa school
o Indian school
• People using a particular research strategy do not always share the same epistemological and
ontological assumptions
• Use of certain research methods may not be accompanied by the expected epistemology and
ontology
o E.g.
I. Behaviour vs. meaning
a. Many perspective in quantitative social science now consider meaning to
be important
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Basic concepts: september 11: theory, purpose of research, middle range theories, grand theories, hypotheses: specific statements about how variables will relate to one another in a research study. Concerns with end results, are they studying what they intended to measure, are the valid: types of validity: each can have an impact on the overall type of study. Many argue the above measures are more applicable to quantitative than qualitative work: evaluating qualitative research, lincoln and guba maintain: qualitative work should be judged by different standards, trustworthiness includes: evaluate quantitative research that is generated. Transferability (external validity) almost the same as generalization. General orientations: quantitative and qualitative research: research divide: table 1. 1. Inductive: generation of theory: qualitative research exhibits features associated with the natural science model, hypothesis and theory testing, realism: middle way between constructivist and objectivist debate, symbolic interactionalism: 3 schools of though, chicago school.
