Research Methods Writing Assignment

WHEEL OF SCIENCE LECTURE/VIDEO ATTACHED

Students will be required to address all of these key issues when analyzing the research papers that they have been assigned.

KEY CONCEPTS

o       Research may start at any point in the wheel

o       Conceptualization and Operationalization

         Validity and Reliability Issues

o       Deductive vs. Inductive Approaches

         Micro vs Macro Perspectives(See Nomothetic vs. Idiographic)

         Grounded vs. Theoretically linked

o       Theory – Hypotheses – Data Collection Stages

         Research begins at ANY stage

         May be generated from hypotheses from other research

        Intentional vs Impulsive crimes

        The Comfort Hypothesis

o       Methods and Stats determined by nature of research

         Spirituality/Religiosity

         Date Rape

 

 

How to Measure REALITY

         I.    The building blocks of Science

         Concepts

         Generalizations

         Theories

         Research can either test established theory(ies)(DEDUCTIVE)

     or research that starts from the empirical realm or from concepts to

     hypothesis to   generalizations to theories (INDUCTIVE)

         Research can be micro or macro level(symbolic interactionism or

      conflict/functional theories)

         Conceptualization & Operationalization Process of Transforming the

       abstract into the concrete

o        Restating concepts as variables

o        VARIABLES are empirical representations of concepts

         Education = No of years of school completed

         Social Bonds/ Intensity of Bonds

         Outlining the Stages

         Stage ONE: Deductive or Inductive Beginnings (Conceptualization)

o        Conflict/Marxist Theory?  Functionalist Theory?

o        Patterns of Religiosity? Alienation? Perception of Soc Degree?

o        Definition of primary concept(s) including population to be studied

         Religiosity (i.e.Differences between men & women)

         Stage TWO:  Complexity of concepts requires further differentiation

Which are identified as NOMINAL Definitions(Conceptualization)

o        Religiosity involves multiple dimensions

         Core beliefs of adherents(Define: Ideological Dimension)

         Knowledgeability (Define: Scriptures, Core Writings)

         Ritualistic (Define: Practices required of believers)

         Experiential dimension( Revelational component)

         Stage THREE: Operationalization level.  Putting measurement

Techniques to the concepts provided above. Transforming definitions into

VARIABLES.   Your MI is to Identify the levels of  Measurement below?

        Ideological Dimension of Religiosity

o       Survey of students

o       Closed Ended Questions (Operational Definitions)

o        (i.e. “I Have NO doubt that………”

         Likert Scale Measurement

        Q for Students( Level of Measurement?)

        Knowledgeability Dimension

o       Open Ended Survey questions

o       Questions ask (Operational Definitions)

         “List ……….

         Recite the 23rd Psalm

        Ritualistic Dimension

o       Survey or Participant Observation

o       Pastors or Parishioners or Student Observers

o       Church Attendance; Participation in Communion

        Experiential Dimension

o       Survey or Participant Observation or Focus Group

o       Nominal Definitions here also

         Confirming Experience

         Ecstatic Experience

         Prophetic Experience