LibGuides: Sociology: Research Methods

Research Methods Books

Futures of the Study of Culture by Doris Bachmann-Medick (Editor); Jens Kugele (Editor); Ansgar Nünning (Editor)
ISBN: 9783110669398
Publication Date: 2020-04-20
How can we approach possible but unknown futures of the study of culture? This volume explores this question in the context of a changing global world. The contributions in this volume discuss the necessity of significant shifts in our conceptual and epistemological frameworks. Taking into account changing institutional research settings, the authors develop pathways to future cultural research, addressing the crucial concerns of the cultural and social worlds themselves. The contributions thereby utilize contact zones within a wide range of disciplines such as cultural anthropology, sociology, cultural history, literary studies, the history of science and bioethics as well as the environmental and medical humanities. Examining emerging inter- and transdisciplinary points of reference, the volume invites scholars in the humanities and social sciences to take part in a conversation about theories, methods, and practices for the future study of culture.
Interactional Studies of Qualitative Research Interviews by Kathryn Roulston (Editor)
ISBN: 9789027262905
Publication Date: 2019-03-25
Methodological accounts of research interviews find that how researchers use this tool in their work varies widely: there are many "ways" of interviewing. This edited collection unpacks the interactional dynamics of qualitative research interviews from studies conducted in education, second language acquisition, applied linguistics and disability studies from scholars in the UK, USA, Italy, Portugal and Korea. These studies explore the interactional details of how the identities of researchers and their participants matter for the generation of interview data, as well as the kinds of discursive resources and social actions that occur in tandem with the production of data for research projects. Given the widespread use of qualitative interviews for social research, this book provides a robust contribution to what Tim Rapley has called the "social studies of interviewing." This book is relevant to audiences across disciplines who use the interview as a primary research method.
Researching Religion by Steve Bruce
ISBN: 9780198786580
Publication Date: 2018-10-30
Researching Religion: Why We Need Social Science establishes the relevance of social science for the study of religion and promotes a particular kind of social science. Even if we confine ourselves to academic disciplines, there are very many ways of viewing religion. Certain kinds ofquestions about religion can only be answered by the methods and approaches of social science: if one is interested in the social causes and consequences of religious belief and behaviour, then one has to do social science. Steve Bruce underlines the value of quantitative social research. He showsthat while detailed ethnographies have enormous value in helping us get "inside" religious belief and behaviour, they are severely limited by problems of scale and representativeness in their value for generating and testing explanations. While the primary focus is social research, the examples aredrawn from studies of religious belief and behaviour, so it also presents a very large number of important observations about the nature of religion in the modern world. This book is an informative, concise reference for students trying to unpick quantitative religious research. It shows how togather valuable research and avoid pitfalls.

Research Methods Websites

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Sociology
Britannica definition of Sociology, including historical and modern development, key figures, and methodology.
Sociological Research Methods
Doing Sociology: Research Methods
Scientific Method in Sociological Research
Powerpoint slide deck
Research Designs in Sociology
Powerpoint slide deck

Description of Research Methods

Sociologists examine the social world, see a problem or interesting pattern, and set out to study it. They use research methods to design a study. Planning the research design is a key step in any sociological study. Sociologists generally choose from widely used methods of social investigation: primary source data collection such as survey, participant observation, ethnography, case study, unobtrusive observations, experiment, and secondary data analysis, or use of existing sources. Every research method comes with plusses and minuses, and the topic of study strongly influences which method or methods are put to use. When you are conducting research think about the best way to gather or obtain knowledge about your topic, think of yourself as an architect. An architect needs a blueprint to build a house, as a sociologist your blueprint is your research design including your data collection method.

When entering a particular social environment, a researcher must be careful. There are times to remain anonymous and times to be overt. There are times to conduct interviews and times to simply observe. Some participants need to be thoroughly informed; others should not know they are being observed. (Research Methods)