Читать книгу Our Social World - Kathleen Odell Korgen - Страница 91

Researchers must always make clear how they collect their data. Every research study should be replicable—capable of being repeated—by other researchers. So, enough information must be given to ensure that another researcher could repeat the study and compare results.

The appropriate data collection method depends on the level(s) of analysis of the research question (micro, meso, or macro) the researcher is asking. For example, if you want to answer a macro-level research question, such as the effect of poverty on students dropping out of school in Brazil, you should focus on large-scale social and economic data sources such as the Brazilian census. To learn about micro-level issues, such as the influence of peers on an individual’s decision to drop out of school, you will need to examine small-group interactions at the micro level. Figure 2.2 illustrates the different levels of analysis.

▼ Figure 2.2 The Social World Model and Levels of Analysis