Читать книгу Our Social World - Kathleen Odell Korgen - Страница 89

Suppose you have a research question you want to answer, such as “Why do boys like Hector drop out of school?” For your research to be scientific, you must follow the basic steps of the scientific research process.

1 PLANNING A RESEARCH STUDYStep 1. Define a topic or problem that can be studied scientifically.Step 2. Review existing relevant research studies and theory to refine the topic and define variables, concepts (ideas) that can vary in frequency of occurrence from one time, place, or person to another (such as age, ethnicity, religion, and level of education).Step 3. Formulate hypotheses or research questions and determine how to define and measure the variables.

2 DESIGNING THE RESEARCH PLAN AND METHOD FOR COLLECTING THE DATAStep 4. Design the research plan that specifies how the data will be gathered.Step 5. Select a sample, a group of systematically chosen people who represent a much larger group to study.Step 6. Collect the data using appropriate research methods.

3 MAKING SENSE OF THE DATAStep 7. Analyze the data and relate it to previous findings on the topic, concluding exactly what the study says about the research question(s) from Step 3.Step 8. Draw conclusions and present the report, including suggestions for future research and policy recommendations (if appropriate). The study is then ready for peer review—critique by other social scientists. Publicize findings and recommendations supported by the peer review.