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California State University, Dominguez Hills
University of Wisconsin, Parkside
Created: January 31, 2002
Reviewed: July 24, 2002
Latest Update: June 15, 2004
jeannecurran@habermas.org
takata@uwp.edu

Methods Index

Introduction:

Methods is one of the major factors in determining what we see as data, how we see those data, how we gather them, and how we interpret them. We include references to quantitative, qualitative, micro, macro, reflexive, narrative, personal experience, and visual data. And then we include whatever doesn't fit in that list. Our goal is to tell you enough about each that you can explore confidently on your own those methods most suitable to your interests.

1. Quantitative Data

   Quantitative data are numerical, counting data, the kind you used in statistics. These are the data that give you tables and graphs, correlations and percentages.

   • Latent Growth Curves Presently shows a nonlinear growth curve for juvenile delinquency. Needs expansion for graduate methods. June 15, 2004.

2. Qualitative Data

3. Micro Data

4. Macro Data

5. Reflexive Data

6. Narrative Data

7. Personal Experience Data

8. Visual Data

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   Rest of file currently being updated. jeanne June 15, 2004.

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   • Stanford on Sociology Research
   • :
   • Latent Growth Curves by Alan Acock. Uses a pdf file. We will cover at least the first eight pages on understanding, not calculating, growth curves. Many of the variables central to sociology are best studied by looking at changes over time. Link added July 23, 2002.
   • Theory Construction and Conceptual Linking Herman Turk and resource allocation to jeanne and education to Andre Gunder Frank and the rape of Latin America. Link added February 25, 2002.
     • Kozol's savage inequalitites and Turk's thesis on allocation of resources. Link added September 14, 1996.
   • Grounded Theory Evolving Example of use of tables in presentation or report. Link added February 27, 2002.
   • Demography: Secondary Analysis of Data The story of Herman Turk's Rose Monograph. Link added February 25, 2002.
   • Methods of Locating and Evaluating Academic Sources Link added February 9, 2002.
   • Asking the Right Question An example of the difficulty of seeing what you are looking for, and missing other stuff. From PSN posts. Link added January 19, 2002.
   • New text: Methods of Social Research. Thomas J. Sullivan, Northern Michigan University. 2001. Harcourt College Publishers. Particularly good at summarizing the main points. Will reference it in all my classes.
   • Tricks of the Trade by Howard Becker.
     • First Chapter available online for you to read. Backup.

   REFERENCES

   • The Research Methods Knowledge Base by William Trochim, Ph.D., Cornell University. Students may obtain this text online for roughly $20. That may be the cheapest review book you can get. I reviewed the book online. Good section on scaling. Gives you a reasonable review of Guttman, Likert, and Thurstone scaling techniques. Also does some pretty good review of validity. That's an area you might need to review before comprehensive exams. Written in everyday English. Sample quizzes available. Lots of vocabulary links, so you can review the meaning of terms you've forgotten. It claims interactivity, but that's kind of falxe. It's really just pretty much a text; about all you can do with it is use it as you would a hardcopy text. But if you're computer literate, it looks like a good deal. Paperback copies are available, but then it gets expensive again. jeanne Link added July 24, 2002.