SSC ANIMAL

The most common research methodologies are listed below (I have cut and pasted these from

various sources to give you a simple list!) – if you want to use some other method, check with

me first! Also Reading 02b is a methods text that provides more details for your information.

1) Questioning subjects: asking individuals, or small groups, a series of questions; can be both open-ended (without specific questions) or more structured

a. Surveys: can be done in written form or online (see the webpage Survey Monkey) b. Interviews: one-one discussions (need to think about note taking or recording) c. Focus groups: talk with 1-2 researchers and a small group of subjects

2) Ethnography, Fieldwork: Observations of a social space. You are studying subject on their territory while taking notes on what you observe.

3) Participant Observation: Typically coupled with interviewing and/or ethnographic observation—you participate in the group that you wish to study to gain more insight into

the processes of that group

a. Jeff Ferrell became a graffiti artist in order to gain access to his subjects and to

interact with them on ‘their territory’

4) Experiments: Experiments involve comparing the outcomes of a treatment group and control group. You might have participants read a statement and respond to it,

randomly varying a key word in the prompt.

5) Content Analysis: The researcher looks for key words, phrases, or subject matter in written or video media that already exists and assesses how they vary on key dimensions

a. newsletters, webpages, online forums, song lyrics, visual images, TV shows,

movies, government testimony

6) Sometime Content Analysis is described as - Historical /Archival: The researcher use content analysis of primary source documents (bills, laws, newspapers, letters, etc.) and

interviews with key social actors to piece together how a historical event occurred.

a. I wrote my dissertation on the creation of Ohio’s Ethnic Intimidation Law by reviewing written testimony, media coverage, and interviews with the person who

wrote the bill as well as supporters and opponents of the proposed legislation.

7) In secondary analysis, researchers analyze data that others have collected.

a. There are a number of data sets available where researchers can use a statistical

program, such as SPSS, to extract variables they are interested in and run analysis