Research Methods CJ 2101-001
Week 1:
September 12, 2022
Scientific Inquiry
What is a Scientific Method?
- A model of inquiry used to systematically create knowledge based on a set of principles
and procedures
- It must be supported by research findings (evidence)
- And must use appropriate research methods and analytic techniques
Science VS Everyday Knowledge
- Science differs by accuracy and legitimacy
Types of Knowledge
- Authority
- Tradition
- Common sense
- Legends and myths
- Personal experience
Scientific Knowledge:
- Prediction and explanation
- Systematic observation and empiricism
- Scientific reasoning
- Transparency
- Is Provisional
What is the point of knowledge?
- To develop or validate theory that helps to explain and predict social phenomena
What is Theory?
- A set of statements or model based on empirical evidence and reasoning that helps to
explain and predict social phenomena
- Every theory holds assumptions about knowledge:
Epistemology – how do we know what we know? What constitutes knowledge
and how is knowledge derived?
Ontology - what is the nature of social reality? What do we deem to be true?
- Theories also develop using different directions/types of analysis:
, Deductive reasoning– Theory of how/why things happen identify hypothesis
observation confirm, modify, refute theory
Inductive reasoning – Observe an event identify a pattern build a tentative
hypothesis develop theory of how/why
- Our theories also focus on different levels of social reality:
Micro-level: Behaviors of the individual and their immediate others
Meso-level: Connection and interaction of numerous different social roles
Macro-level: Whole societies and the ways they are changing
Week 2
September 14, 2022
Research Structure
The Research Process
Stage 1: Identify a purpose/question
- How do we come up with a research topic?
Problem with society that I am interested in
Personal experience that I can dig deeper in
Something that I see from the media
- Concern of feasibility (the research question/topic must be narrow and specific)
- The importance of your literature:
Informs your topic, research question & research
Situate your work in a body of research
- Literature Review:
Situate you work in a body of research
Systematic summary, synthesis, classification, and comparison of scientific
knowledge published on a topic
What do we know? Which questions are still unanswered? If we study that topic,
which concepts do we need to include and how have others defined them?
How should I conduct my study?
What will my study add?
- Conducting a Literature Review:
Specifies the problem issue, event, or behaviour under question
Goal: synthesize theory, themes, and trends
Summarizes, compares, and evaluates key research findings on a subject
Identifies important theories, concepts, and variables
, Illustrates how prior research led to the development of you research objectives
and designs
- Research Question and Concepts:
Concepts – what are you interested in studying?
RQ’s – what specific questions will your research try to answer
Example: RQ - Is there a relationship between prison behaviour and parole?
Concept – Prison Behaviour & Parole
- What is the purpose of our Research?
Basic Research
Advance knowledge and theoretical understanding of a particular social
phenomenon
Answer a question for the sake of answering the question
Purpose – to change how we think about social phenomena
Applied Research
Address an identified concern or to solve a specific problem
To assess outcomes and effectiveness of programs
To inform and develop evidence-based practice and policy
Exploratory Research
Develop insights into a problem about which little is known
Developing ideas to refine future research questions
Descriptive Research
Paint a picture of a problem, issue, or subject
Details situations with words or numbers to answer who, what, where
when or how
May be limited to a particular problem, issue, or specific subject
Explanatory Research
Focus on why something happens - what are the causes
Casual inference
Difficult to achieve a casual inference – requires you to rule out other
explanations
- The Initial Steps to Designing a Research Project
1. Choosing a topic
2. Conduction a literature review
3. Choosing a research method
4. Measurement and sampling
Stage 2: Building a Research Design
- Quantitative & Qualitative Data
Numerical and non-numerical data
Quantitative data – magnitude and frequency
Qualitative data – meaning and understanding
Week 1:
September 12, 2022
Scientific Inquiry
What is a Scientific Method?
- A model of inquiry used to systematically create knowledge based on a set of principles
and procedures
- It must be supported by research findings (evidence)
- And must use appropriate research methods and analytic techniques
Science VS Everyday Knowledge
- Science differs by accuracy and legitimacy
Types of Knowledge
- Authority
- Tradition
- Common sense
- Legends and myths
- Personal experience
Scientific Knowledge:
- Prediction and explanation
- Systematic observation and empiricism
- Scientific reasoning
- Transparency
- Is Provisional
What is the point of knowledge?
- To develop or validate theory that helps to explain and predict social phenomena
What is Theory?
- A set of statements or model based on empirical evidence and reasoning that helps to
explain and predict social phenomena
- Every theory holds assumptions about knowledge:
Epistemology – how do we know what we know? What constitutes knowledge
and how is knowledge derived?
Ontology - what is the nature of social reality? What do we deem to be true?
- Theories also develop using different directions/types of analysis:
, Deductive reasoning– Theory of how/why things happen identify hypothesis
observation confirm, modify, refute theory
Inductive reasoning – Observe an event identify a pattern build a tentative
hypothesis develop theory of how/why
- Our theories also focus on different levels of social reality:
Micro-level: Behaviors of the individual and their immediate others
Meso-level: Connection and interaction of numerous different social roles
Macro-level: Whole societies and the ways they are changing
Week 2
September 14, 2022
Research Structure
The Research Process
Stage 1: Identify a purpose/question
- How do we come up with a research topic?
Problem with society that I am interested in
Personal experience that I can dig deeper in
Something that I see from the media
- Concern of feasibility (the research question/topic must be narrow and specific)
- The importance of your literature:
Informs your topic, research question & research
Situate your work in a body of research
- Literature Review:
Situate you work in a body of research
Systematic summary, synthesis, classification, and comparison of scientific
knowledge published on a topic
What do we know? Which questions are still unanswered? If we study that topic,
which concepts do we need to include and how have others defined them?
How should I conduct my study?
What will my study add?
- Conducting a Literature Review:
Specifies the problem issue, event, or behaviour under question
Goal: synthesize theory, themes, and trends
Summarizes, compares, and evaluates key research findings on a subject
Identifies important theories, concepts, and variables
, Illustrates how prior research led to the development of you research objectives
and designs
- Research Question and Concepts:
Concepts – what are you interested in studying?
RQ’s – what specific questions will your research try to answer
Example: RQ - Is there a relationship between prison behaviour and parole?
Concept – Prison Behaviour & Parole
- What is the purpose of our Research?
Basic Research
Advance knowledge and theoretical understanding of a particular social
phenomenon
Answer a question for the sake of answering the question
Purpose – to change how we think about social phenomena
Applied Research
Address an identified concern or to solve a specific problem
To assess outcomes and effectiveness of programs
To inform and develop evidence-based practice and policy
Exploratory Research
Develop insights into a problem about which little is known
Developing ideas to refine future research questions
Descriptive Research
Paint a picture of a problem, issue, or subject
Details situations with words or numbers to answer who, what, where
when or how
May be limited to a particular problem, issue, or specific subject
Explanatory Research
Focus on why something happens - what are the causes
Casual inference
Difficult to achieve a casual inference – requires you to rule out other
explanations
- The Initial Steps to Designing a Research Project
1. Choosing a topic
2. Conduction a literature review
3. Choosing a research method
4. Measurement and sampling
Stage 2: Building a Research Design
- Quantitative & Qualitative Data
Numerical and non-numerical data
Quantitative data – magnitude and frequency
Qualitative data – meaning and understanding
