SOSA 1200X Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Participant Observation, Ethnography, Critical Thinking

• School: Dalhousie University
• Department: Soc & Social Anthropology
• Course: SOSA 1200X
• Professor: Christopher Helland

Document Summary

Sociologists, therefore, make determining whether specific ideas are fact of fiction their job. What is the scientific measure: define the problem, review the literature, formulate a testable hypothesis, select a research design; collect and analyze data, survey; observation; experiment; existing sources, develop the conclusion, ideas for future research. The viewpoint of those who experience the subject being studied or written about. The viewpoint of those outside of the group or culture being studied. For much of sociology history it was believed that favouring the objective outsider perspective would produce the best research. Policy sociology is most closely tied to the outside expert ideal. Critical sociology stresses the unique role of the insider perspective. Qualitative research methods: ethnographic methods used to gather information can include: Direct observation and extended field research to produce a thick, naturalistic description of a people and their culture; seeks to uncover the symbols and categories members of the given culture use to interpret their world.