Question

steps of sociology research

detailed and examples

Answer 1

Here are the steps to conduct Sociological research:

• Selecting a Topic: Selecting a topic comes from the observation of the social phenomena around us. It is guided by sociological curiosity, involves questioning and the eagerness to explore a particular topic and its interconnections in detail.
• Defining a Problem: This step involves giving an operational definition of the topic that would be studied by the researcher. This aids the researcher to look at one particular aspect of the topic in detail.
• Reviewing Literature: This involves reading up on the previous research conducted on the topic of concern. Thus, it allows the researcher to explore the details which either haven't been explored or verify the details that have been explored previously.
• Formulating a Hypothesis: Hypothesis is a tentative statement that suggests or predicts the expected relationship between different variables. This requires operational definitions and precise ways to measure the relationship between variables.
• Choosing a research method: A researcher hs a variety of research methods to choose from, in order to test the hypothesis. Some of these include surveys, personal interviews, experimental methods, cross-cultural methods, etc.
• Collecting Data: Once the data is collected through the selected research method, the concerns of reliability, validity, objectivity, and accuracy need to be addressed.
• Analyzing Data: Qualitative or quantitative ways are used to analyze the data. This step lets the researcher interpret data the way they want. It is prone to the researcher bias but it can be open to criticisms as well.
• Publishing the data: By writing up and publishing the study, it is open for replication and further research into the topic. Thus, it contributes to the research findings and gain new insight on the topic.