Social research
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| - | '''Sociological theories''' are complex [[theoretical]] frameworks that sociologists use to explain and analyze variously how social action, social processes, and social structures work. Sociological theories are sometimes called ''[[social theories]]'', though the later term generally refers to [[interdisciplinary]] theory. In seeking to understand society, [[sociologists]] use both sociological theory and interdisciplinary social theories to organize [[social research]]. | + | '''Social research''' refers to [[research]] conducted by [[social scientist]]s (primarily within [[sociology]] and [[social psychology]]), but also within other disciplines such as [[social policy]], [[human geography]], [[political science]], [[social anthropology]] and [[education]]. [[Sociologists]] and other social scientists study diverse things: from [[census]] data on hundreds of thousands of human beings, through the in-depth analysis of the life of a single important person to monitoring what is happening on a street today - or what was happening a few hundred years ago. |
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| + | Social scientists use many different methods in order to describe, explore and understand [[social life]]. Social methods can generally be subdivided into two broad categories. [[Quantitative method]]s are concerned with attempts to quantify [[social phenomena]] and collect and analyse numerical data, and focus on the links among a smaller number of [[attribute]]s across many cases. [[Qualitative method]]s, on the other hand, emphasise personal experiences and interpretation over quantification, are more concerned with understanding the meaning of social phenomena and focus on links among a larger number of attributes across relatively few cases. While very different in many aspects, both qualitative and quantitative approaches involve a systematic interaction between [[social theory|theories]] and [[data]]. | ||
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| + | Common tools of quantitative researchers include [[Statistical survey|surveys]], [[questionnaire]]s, and secondary analysis of [[Statistics|statistical]] data that has been gathered for other purposes (for example, censuses or the results of social attitudes surveys). Commonly used qualitative methods include [[focus group]]s, [[participant observation]], and other techniques. | ||
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Social research refers to research conducted by social scientists (primarily within sociology and social psychology), but also within other disciplines such as social policy, human geography, political science, social anthropology and education. Sociologists and other social scientists study diverse things: from census data on hundreds of thousands of human beings, through the in-depth analysis of the life of a single important person to monitoring what is happening on a street today - or what was happening a few hundred years ago.
Social scientists use many different methods in order to describe, explore and understand social life. Social methods can generally be subdivided into two broad categories. Quantitative methods are concerned with attempts to quantify social phenomena and collect and analyse numerical data, and focus on the links among a smaller number of attributes across many cases. Qualitative methods, on the other hand, emphasise personal experiences and interpretation over quantification, are more concerned with understanding the meaning of social phenomena and focus on links among a larger number of attributes across relatively few cases. While very different in many aspects, both qualitative and quantitative approaches involve a systematic interaction between theories and data.
Common tools of quantitative researchers include surveys, questionnaires, and secondary analysis of statistical data that has been gathered for other purposes (for example, censuses or the results of social attitudes surveys). Commonly used qualitative methods include focus groups, participant observation, and other techniques.
