Methods and techniques of sociological research

Pre-reading task: what do we need methods of sociological research for?

How do sociologists study human behaviour and institutions? Like the typical citizen on the street, the sociologist is interested in the central questions of our time. Is the family falling apart? Why is there so much crime? and such like. However, unlike the typical citizen, the sociologist must use scientific method in studying society.

Scientific method is a systematic, organized series of steps that ensures maximum objectivity and consistency in researching a problem. There are 5 basic steps in scientific method that researchers follow in developing useful research. These are:

· defining the problem (i.e. stating as clearly as possible what you hope to investigate),

· reviewing the literature (i.e. refining the problem under study, clarifying the techniques to be used in collecting data),

· formulating the hypothesis (i.e. developing a guess, that should be scientifically tested and confirmed, revised or refuted),

· selecting the research design and then collecting and analyzing data,

· developing the conclusion.

Let us briefly summarize the process of scientific method through a review of the example. In the 1980s, people in the United States became increasingly aware of the plight of the homeless in the nation’s urban centers.

The researchers defined the problem (the relationship between homelessness and mental illness). They reviewed the literature (other studies of the presence of mental illness among the homeless) and formulated the hypothesis (“Most homeless persons are not mentally ill”). The researchers collected the data by creating an appropriate sample of homeless persons (767) and analyzed them. Finally, they developed a conclusion: the typical homeless person is likely not to have a history of mental illness.

Thus, through the systematic application of scientific method, these researchers studied a contemporary social issue and generated meaningful findings of interest to sociologists, mental health workers and policy makers.