...Sociological Research: Designs, Methods Sociologists use many different designs and methods to study society and social behavior. Most sociological research involves ethnography, or “field work” designed to depict the characteristics of a population as fully as possible. Three popular social research designs (models) are * Cross-sectional, in which scientists study a number of individuals of different ages who have the same trait or characteristic of interest at a single time * Longitudinal, in which scientists study the same individuals or society repeatedly over a specified period of time * Cross-sequential, in which scientists test individuals in a cross-sectional sample more than once over a specified period of time Six of the most popular sociological research methods (procedures) are the case study, survey, observational, correlational, experimental, and cross-culturalmethods, as well as working with information already available. Case study research In case study research, an investigator studies an individual or small group of individuals with an unusual condition or situation. Case studies are typically clinical in scope. The investigator (often a clinical sociologist) sometimes uses self-report measures to acquire quantifiable data on the subject. A comprehensive case study, including a long-term follow-up, can last months or years. On the positive side, case studies obtain useful information about individuals and small groups. On the negative side...
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...Checkpoint: Sociological Research Methods Rhonda Keenum SOC/120 Michelle March November 11, 2011 The article I chose was “Ethical suicide research: A survey of researchers”, and it is about the research that is needed to better comprehend and react efficiently to people who are suicidal. Connecting people who are suicidal in research poses some ethical and practical issues. “The ethical problems and difficulties in obtaining approval to involve people who are suicidal in research have contributed to the current paucity of research that explores the suicidal experience,” (Lakeman & Fitzgerald, 2009). To look at some of these issues, a web-based review of suicide researchers was undertaken. I believe the type of research method used in this article is interpretive sociology. “Interpretive sociology, the study of society that focuses on the meanings people attach to their social world,” (Macionis, 2006). They did this web-based survey to see or get the qualitative data on perceptions of how people comprehend their environments in suicide. They not only wanted to observe people who are suicidal, but also share in their world of significance, coming to understand why they behave as they do. One of the four research methods they used was survey. They chose the web-based survey because it was inexpensive and well-organized methods to get the opinions and responses of researchers and ethics committee members. I also believe that...
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...Examine the different factors that influence the sociologists choice of research methods. The main factors that influence a sociologist's choice of research method depend on two different theoretical approaches to the study of society; Positivism is an approach in sociology that believes society can be studied using similar scientific techniques to those used in the natural sciences, such as physics, biology and chemistry. Durkheim, a positivist, called the external social forces that make up a societies social structure that cause or mould people's ideas and actions social facts.Durkheim said the aim of sociology should be the study of social facts, which in most cases could be measured and observed quantitatively, in number or statistical form. Such as the number of people applying for visas to work in a particular country. Interpretivism is an approach emphasizing that people have consciousness involving personal beliefs, values and interpretations that influence the way they act and that they do not simply respond to forces outside them. These two theoretical approaches often use different research methods because they have different assumptions about the nature of society, this influences the type of data they are interested in collecting. Practicality, ethics, theory and subject of study also contribute to the methods used for research. Durkheim, a positivist, called the external social forces that make up a societies social structure that cause or mould people's...
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...I read an article that was published in the trade journal about the number of adolescents that commits or attempt to commit suicide among adolescences that are in special education classes. They are from the Mexican American population. The article was written by Medina and Luna, to write this article they did research on why children are committing suicide and what signs to look out for. During this research it will also play a role among educators and administrations of the schools population see warning signs and seek help for the students. According to the authors Medina and Luna they felt that this was a risky group and went unnoticed until this study. Using small groups of children that fitted the demographics is how they were about to conduct there interviews. Taking use of Seidman’s interview procedures they were able to find out some of the factors that plays a role in why children commit suicide, attempt suicide or even think about it. Using the information that they collected from the interviews they then combine that information among other information and studies that were done to pin point the prime reasons. They looked at studies that did not focus on Mexican Americans but focused on every culture. The findings were that they are a high rate of Mexican Americans that commit, attempt to commit or have thought about suicide than any other in there age range. It was also found that suicide is committed by special education children due to depression which is...
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...Compare and contrast the major characteristics of two methods of sociological inquiry. Your answer should clarify how: Each method relates to a distinct tradition of social research (e.g., positivism, interpretivism or the critical tradition); Addresses the issue of objectivity and; Account for the relationship between the natural and the social sciences. Research methods are a crucial part to understanding society. Without research methods, scientists and researchers would not be able to understand the why, the how or the what. There are three main traditions in social research; Positivism, Interpretivism and Critical Tradition. In this essay, the writer will examine two of these traditions; positivism and interpretivism. The writer will talk about each of these traditions, the history and the type of research method each are. The writer will discuss examples of each tradition, a qualitative research method and a quantitative research method. The writer will then go on to discuss the contributions of two major sociologists in each; Emile Durkheim for Positivism and Max Weber for Interpretivism. The writer will then go on to compare and contrast each tradition. Positivism was first established by French philosopher Auguste Comte in the early 19th century. Positivism can be defined as ‘’ the tendency to develop the means of our reason either to predict the phenomena of nature or to modify them through our intervention, which is the characteristic feature...
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...Research Methodology Aila Sajid Bhangoo Introduction A novice researcher often has a confusing start looking for answers to questions such as: what should be the focus of the research, what approach must be taken towards research that is how to go about data collection and how to draw the most accurate analysis from the information gathered. Consequently, it is of paramount significance what subject matter the researcher chooses, what research questions he conceives and how the researches goes about in conducting his research. There are primarily two aspirations for orchestrating a research; the first is to find a solution for an on ground problem present in the day to day political life which is called applied, practical or policy research and the second is with the aim of fostering and boosting the available knowledge about the politics and political world which is referred to as basic, pure or theoretical approach. Hakim defines policy research being concerned with ‘knowledge of action’; hence, it focuses on “actionable variables” or variables. The target audiences of such researches are policy makers in government, institutional decision makers, special interest groups and other relevant stakeholders. The undercurrent aim of policy research is to make accurate prediction based on techniques such as simulations, mathematical modeling, forecasting, time series...
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...n everyday language to deviate means to stray from an accepted path. Many sociological definitions of deviance simply elaborate upon this idea. Thus deviance consists of those areas which do not follow the norms and expectations of a particular social group. Deviance may be positively sanctioned (rewarded), negatively sanctioned (punished), or simply accepted without reward or punishment. In terms of the above definition of deviance, the soldier on the battlefield who risks his life above and beyond the normal call of duty may be termed deviant, as the physicist who breaks the rules of his discipline and develops a new theory. Their deviance may be positively sanctioned; the soldier might be rewarded with a medal, the physicist with a Noble...
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...Personal Responsibility Title of Paper Responsibility is something we are taught as we grow up, it may be as small as parents letting their children get the mail from the mail box, or as big as babysitting two young children wile their parents are at work. Personal responsibility is the duty to accept the rewards and the consequences of each individuals own personal actions. Personal responsibility goes deeper than just admitting when you make a mistake. Money management is an example of a personal responsibility. As a responsible student with loans out you must guard your credit and your education by making sure you can afford your way of life and school together. Spending less money is a very obvious but not so easy way of making sure your responsibilities are taken care of. Shopping around and comparing prices of normal items you usually buy is a good way to save a couple of bucks, many places these days have discounts for students never be shy about asking for them. Choosing to keep the temple of your body healthy is also a good example, eating healthy, and exercising are two good ways to upkeep your duty. With the delicious and amazing desserts and candies available it is so hard to keep the personal duty we have. Alcohol and tobacco are also two big things that can damage the responsibility we have to our bodies. It seems everyone smokes or drinks these days the thing to make a responsibility is not abusing the products in which you consume. Schoolwork is...
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...Running head: Personal Responsibility 1 Personal Responsibility Tia U. Robinson Gen/200 January 26, 2012 Eric Graves Personal Responsibility 2 Personal Responsibility Personal responsibility can be defined in many ways. It has different meaning in many aspects of daily life. This essay will discuss the definition of personal responsibility and how it relates to both daily living and education. This essay will also discuss a preliminary plan to practice personal responsibility in education. Personal responsibility means being accountable for one’s own conduct and being willing to receive the consequences of those actions, whether positive or negative. It has several other meanings such as personal growth; it demonstrates strength of character, making right choices, dependency, and so forth. “Personal responsibility is one’s ability to take care of oneself by means of, keeping healthy, managing one’s emotions, keeping a sound mind, treating yourself with respect…,” (“Can you define,” 2012). “All blame is a waste of time. No matter how much you fault you find with another, and regardless of how much you blame him or her, it will not change you, “(Dyer, 1996-2009). Personal responsibility is a learned behavior. We, as human beings, are not born with this ability. At a young age we are taught by our parents to act responsibly. We are assisted by them to obtain a way of life and personal qualities that are used in our daily lives as we mature to...
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...------------------------------------------------- University of Phoenix Mateiral Thesis Statement and Informal Outline Worksheet In this course, you will write a 350- to 700-word Personal Responsibility Essay that includes the following: Define what personal responsibility means to you. Explain the relationship between personal responsibility and college success. Include a preliminary plan to practice personal responsibility in your education. Using the Center for Writing Excellence resources, provide the thesis statement and informal outline for your Personal Responsibility Essay assignment. Thesis Statement: 1. Even though why at thirty one? A. more job opportunities with the company I am in or other business opportunities 2completeing every assignment because I have been successful in life why not school A. taking every class one day at a time 3. My son needs to see that if I can do it so can he Informal Outline: Personal responsibility can mean many different things to people. When I think of personal responsibility the first thing that comes to mind is my job. I am the plant manager of J.P. Specialties we make contamination barriers for concrete applications. I am responsible for everything that goes in or out of the factory. That is complete in every way with no errors and that it is up to the standard I want associated with both mine and the companies name. I have to be responsible for my actions to be successful...
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...Personal Responsibility Personal Responsibility for me is taking good care of myself. Being able to consult myself before I understand any type of task no matter how big or small the task may be. Making sure I plan my day, week, month, coming years wisely. Making right choice in my life. Believing in myself that I would accomplish what I have set out to do. We all have to be accountable in what happens in our lives either success or failure. This can be in relationship family life, professional life, academic, religious etc. Begin solely responsible for the choices we make and outcomes and results that follows. We shouldn’t wait for others to make decisions in our behalf instead of blaming or praising others for what happens we look for contribution for what went wrong. In Learning to be more responsible it is important to know our limitations. It does not matter how smart we are there is only so much responsibility that a person can handle. It is also important to remember that we are not responsible for things that are out of our control, for example, how other people feel or how they react to ourselves or others. When we look at personal responsibility and college success its almost the same. All you have to do is follow the system that works for you to be successful at college in accordance with your personal responsibilities. Make you responsibilities by disciplining yourself to all to follow what is expected of you in different situations. You need...
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...How Personal Responsibility will give Takesha Lee College Success Takesha Lee GEN/200 Sunday, July 15, 2012 Saira Din Definition of Personal Responsibility Personal responsibility is about every decision that a person has ever made in their life. It is about growth. It is the very choices that mold persons and takes them from childhood to adulthood. If managed properly it makes us mature, able to navigate through life’s challenges. As an adult, you are in control of your actions, your failures and your successes. Linda Galindo said it best “When you are truly responsible, you believe success or failure is up to you, even if you work within a tea or are blindsided by unforeseen circumstances”. (L. Galindo) In order to be mature you must take seriously your personal responsibility, not accepting personal responsibility will make a person inadequate for decision making. Leaving them possessing the thinking of a child. Although personal responsibility is every person’s charge, it is not a given skill. It must be developed. Most times this development is early in a person’s life and is done at home with the person’s parents and teachers. Here in the beginning you should learn that as a person you are responsible for the outcome of your decisions. When I was a child, as the eldest, I had to watch my siblings, a lot. Babysitting was the bane of my existence. I disliked it because if anything happened, regardless to who did it, it was always my fault. This always...
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...Personal Responsibility is Personal T-ata DeHart-Williams GEN/200 June 20,2012 Lois Blyden Personal Responsibility is Personal Personal responsibility begins with an individual being solely accountable for one’s words and deeds, as a result of centering one’s thoughts on a set standard of beliefs and with proper implementation, a personally responsible person can succeed in college and achieve their goals. William E. Henley (1888) captured the essence of personal responsibility in the last two lines of his poem “Invictus”: “I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul” (Henley,1888, A Book of Verses). Every individual is at the helm of their own triumphs and just as censurable for every defeat. The level of success we obtain is a direct result of the amount of personal responsibility we practice. Each individual was created for a specific purpose that can only be fulfilled by them. Personal responsibility is not a team effort. This paper will provide my definition of personal responsibility and how it is connected to my college education along with my plan to practice personal responsibility in my quest for higher education. Accountability is key The key to having personal responsibility is accountability- willingly accepting responsibility for one’s actions. It is also important to be able to recognize one’s flaws and shortcomings. The ability to admit the...
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...Influence of Reference Groups Lauren A. Grimsley Consumer Behavior January 23, 2011 Dr. Kelly Bruning Strayer University Abstract This paper talks about the influence of reference groups on consumer behavior. It identifies the different type of reference groups and takes a look at different websites that attract reference groups in order to gain identity and make sales. Introduction A reference group is a group whose presumed perspectives or values are being used by an individual as the basis for his or her current behavior (Hawkins & Mothersbaugh, 2010). In other words, a reference group is a group where a person will use the beliefs or opinions of the group to guide their own beliefs and opinions. There are three different forms of reference groups; the aspirational group, the associative group and the dissociative group. Aspiration Reference Groups The aspirational group is a group where people like to compare themselves to people in that group. An example of that is a company or brand will use a high favored celebrity or athlete as a representative for their product to gain patronage and attract consumers. One website that does this is www.weightwatchers.com. As well as on the commercial, on the first page of the website is a picture of Jennifer Hudson, who currently is the spokesperson for Weight Watchers. Most people who are fans of Jennifer...
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...Socially Responsible ETH-316 Ethics and Social Responsibility Socially Responsible Effort This topic has so many different ways to accomplish some type of social responsibility, the list can be endless. Just off the bat, I can describe so many ways we as individuals could become socially responsible. Starting by simply giving, sharing, providing, assisting, donating, collecting or even developing; all of these are the bases of one becoming a more productive individual for the greatest good to society. The first social responsibility I have is with my family and that articulates especially with my sons. As a parent, I have to provide them with some type of ethical and moral behavior and lead by example. I can teach them all these morals and ethical behaviors but at the end if they are not applied or practiced the knowledge will not be passed on. There is an adage that states, “Just because we have it now, does not mean that we will have it tomorrow”. That is something that I am very adamant about, because in truth, nobody knows the future. We can predict and make assumptions about the future, but we cannot be absolutely sure what the future holds for us. Kids for example, think they are indestructible and in reality are living for the moment; the reason for this is that tomorrow is just another day to them. This is where parents come into the picture of social responsibility. It is the parent’s duty to teach and adhere to moral responsibility. I know the kids are...
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