Research Methodology and Descriptive Statistics
Table of Contents
Unit 1: what is empirical research?................................................................................................................. 2
Babbie, chapter 1, p3-13......................................................................................................................................2
Video’s on Canvas – unit 1....................................................................................................................................3
Unit 2: what are clear research questions?..................................................................................................... 6
Babbie, chapter 1, p13-27....................................................................................................................................6
Babbie, chapter 4, p89-92....................................................................................................................................7
Video’s on Canvas – unit 2....................................................................................................................................7
Unit 3: what are data?.................................................................................................................................. 11
Babbie, chapter 4, p97-105................................................................................................................................11
Babbie, chapter 5, p141-145..............................................................................................................................12
Video’s on Canvas – unit 3..................................................................................................................................12
Unit 4: Handling data with software R.......................................................................................................... 17
Unit 5: Conceptualizing constructs................................................................................................................ 18
Babbie Ch. 5 p. 125-138.....................................................................................................................................18
Babbie Ch. 6 p. 159-162.....................................................................................................................................19
Babbie Ch. 6 p. 183-184.....................................................................................................................................19
Video’s on Canvas – unit 5..................................................................................................................................19
Unit 6: Operationalization and data collection.............................................................................................. 23
Babbie Ch. 5 p. 138-148.....................................................................................................................................23
Video’s on Canvas – unit 6..................................................................................................................................23
Unit 7: Measuring constructs using content analysis.....................................................................................26
Babbie Ch. 11 p. 327- 338..................................................................................................................................26
Video’s on Canvas – unit 7..................................................................................................................................26
Unit 8: Two aspects of quality data............................................................................................................... 30
Babbie, Ch. 5, pp. 148-155.................................................................................................................................30
Video’s on Canvas – unit 8..................................................................................................................................31
Unit 9: Displaying univariate data................................................................................................................. 33
Babbie, Ch. 14, pp. 421-422...............................................................................................................................33
Video’s on Canvas – unit 9..................................................................................................................................33
Unit 10: Summarizing ratio variables............................................................................................................ 34
Babbie, Ch. 14, pp. 422-428...............................................................................................................................34
Video’s on Canvas – unit 10................................................................................................................................35
Unit 11: Distributions and Z-scores............................................................................................................... 37
,Research Methodology and Descriptive Statistics
Video’s on Canvas – unit 11................................................................................................................................37
Unit 23: Normal distribution........................................................................................................................ 38
Video’s on Canvas – unit 23................................................................................................................................38
Unit 1: what is empirical research?
Babbie, chapter 1, p3-13
Most of what you know is a matter of believing what you have been told.
HOW do you know what is real?
,Research Methodology and Descriptive Statistics
Science: approach to both agreement reality and experiental reality
- Agreement reality: things we ‘know’ as part and parcel of the culture we share with
those around us.
- Experiental reality: experience by yourself
Epistemology: the science of knowing
Methodology: the science of finding out
Probabilistic: the effects occur more often when the causes occur than when the causes are
absent. For example; studying hard results in good grades, but not every time.
Human inquiry aims at answering both ‘what’ and ‘why’ questions. We pursue these goals by
observing and figuring out.
Tradition: firmly accepted knowledge about the workings of the world. ‘Standing on
the shoulders of giants’ means starting with the knowledge base of previous
generations. No need for testing this information, simply accept it.
Authority: more likely to believe a epidemiologist than your uncle saying the same
thing.
Tradition and authority can both assist and hinder human inquiry.
Errors in inquiry and some solutions:
Inaccurate observation: most of our daily observations are casual and semiconscious,
hard to remember what really happened. If you have a conscious plan to observe,
you would likely to be more accurate.
Overgeneralization: we assume that a few similar events are evidence of a general
pattern
Selective observation: a danger of overgeneralization; focus on future situations that
fits your previous conclusion and pattern. The other one will be ignored.
Illogical reasoning: we often deal with observations that contradict our understanding
of the way things are in life. ‘the exception that proves the rule’.
replication: repeating a study and check if the same results occur each time to
expose or reduce error
Social sciene = theory + data collection + data analysis
Video’s on Canvas – unit 1
Foundations of social sciene:
- Logic and observation
- Making sense
- Correspond with what we observe
- Theory – data collection – data analysis
Theory = a systematic explanation for observations that relate to a particular aspect of life.
What IS, not what SHOULD BE.
Empirical research = doing research with data / systematically answering empirical questions
using observations
, Research Methodology and Descriptive Statistics
- Systematically: try to exclude the possibilities that other answers are better than the
answer we give.
- Emperical: things we can observe
Procedure: empirical research question knowledge/answer.
- Asking experts or listen to parents? relying on expertise of others or traditions
Think and observe by yourself!
Different research questions means different ways of finding answers.
Normative questions – not in this course – what is allowed or what is good?
Conceptual questions – not in this course – do not need an additonal observation
Empirical questions: require observations. Two main types:
o Descriptive; what is the shape of the earth?
o Explanatory of causal; specific measures/effects. about causes and effects.
o (Predictive questions)
How-to questions can be broken up into descriptive and explanatory questions.
These questions come from curiosity (understand the world), follow up existing theories an
puzzles, decision making (practical)
How to answer empirical research questions?
1. Think about possible answers/talk to others/read literature
2. Plan how we can test what we think
3. Observe on base of the planning
4. Analyze the observations and arrive at some conclusions
Scientific literature concepts:
1. Thinking/preliminary answers = theory
2. Planning = research design = a blueprint of how you are going to conduct your study
3. Observe = data collection
4. Analyzing data = data analysis
Wheel of Science: question theory research design data collection data analysis
answers/knowledge (conclusion)
Deduction: starting with theory and think how we can test theory (we already know
something) we DEjuice from general ideas. You start with something quite general (a
theory) and end up with something specific (a prediction for a certain situation).
Induction: starting with data and trying to arrive at conclusion (we know nothing)
start with observing and end up with a general conclusion.
Table of Contents
Unit 1: what is empirical research?................................................................................................................. 2
Babbie, chapter 1, p3-13......................................................................................................................................2
Video’s on Canvas – unit 1....................................................................................................................................3
Unit 2: what are clear research questions?..................................................................................................... 6
Babbie, chapter 1, p13-27....................................................................................................................................6
Babbie, chapter 4, p89-92....................................................................................................................................7
Video’s on Canvas – unit 2....................................................................................................................................7
Unit 3: what are data?.................................................................................................................................. 11
Babbie, chapter 4, p97-105................................................................................................................................11
Babbie, chapter 5, p141-145..............................................................................................................................12
Video’s on Canvas – unit 3..................................................................................................................................12
Unit 4: Handling data with software R.......................................................................................................... 17
Unit 5: Conceptualizing constructs................................................................................................................ 18
Babbie Ch. 5 p. 125-138.....................................................................................................................................18
Babbie Ch. 6 p. 159-162.....................................................................................................................................19
Babbie Ch. 6 p. 183-184.....................................................................................................................................19
Video’s on Canvas – unit 5..................................................................................................................................19
Unit 6: Operationalization and data collection.............................................................................................. 23
Babbie Ch. 5 p. 138-148.....................................................................................................................................23
Video’s on Canvas – unit 6..................................................................................................................................23
Unit 7: Measuring constructs using content analysis.....................................................................................26
Babbie Ch. 11 p. 327- 338..................................................................................................................................26
Video’s on Canvas – unit 7..................................................................................................................................26
Unit 8: Two aspects of quality data............................................................................................................... 30
Babbie, Ch. 5, pp. 148-155.................................................................................................................................30
Video’s on Canvas – unit 8..................................................................................................................................31
Unit 9: Displaying univariate data................................................................................................................. 33
Babbie, Ch. 14, pp. 421-422...............................................................................................................................33
Video’s on Canvas – unit 9..................................................................................................................................33
Unit 10: Summarizing ratio variables............................................................................................................ 34
Babbie, Ch. 14, pp. 422-428...............................................................................................................................34
Video’s on Canvas – unit 10................................................................................................................................35
Unit 11: Distributions and Z-scores............................................................................................................... 37
,Research Methodology and Descriptive Statistics
Video’s on Canvas – unit 11................................................................................................................................37
Unit 23: Normal distribution........................................................................................................................ 38
Video’s on Canvas – unit 23................................................................................................................................38
Unit 1: what is empirical research?
Babbie, chapter 1, p3-13
Most of what you know is a matter of believing what you have been told.
HOW do you know what is real?
,Research Methodology and Descriptive Statistics
Science: approach to both agreement reality and experiental reality
- Agreement reality: things we ‘know’ as part and parcel of the culture we share with
those around us.
- Experiental reality: experience by yourself
Epistemology: the science of knowing
Methodology: the science of finding out
Probabilistic: the effects occur more often when the causes occur than when the causes are
absent. For example; studying hard results in good grades, but not every time.
Human inquiry aims at answering both ‘what’ and ‘why’ questions. We pursue these goals by
observing and figuring out.
Tradition: firmly accepted knowledge about the workings of the world. ‘Standing on
the shoulders of giants’ means starting with the knowledge base of previous
generations. No need for testing this information, simply accept it.
Authority: more likely to believe a epidemiologist than your uncle saying the same
thing.
Tradition and authority can both assist and hinder human inquiry.
Errors in inquiry and some solutions:
Inaccurate observation: most of our daily observations are casual and semiconscious,
hard to remember what really happened. If you have a conscious plan to observe,
you would likely to be more accurate.
Overgeneralization: we assume that a few similar events are evidence of a general
pattern
Selective observation: a danger of overgeneralization; focus on future situations that
fits your previous conclusion and pattern. The other one will be ignored.
Illogical reasoning: we often deal with observations that contradict our understanding
of the way things are in life. ‘the exception that proves the rule’.
replication: repeating a study and check if the same results occur each time to
expose or reduce error
Social sciene = theory + data collection + data analysis
Video’s on Canvas – unit 1
Foundations of social sciene:
- Logic and observation
- Making sense
- Correspond with what we observe
- Theory – data collection – data analysis
Theory = a systematic explanation for observations that relate to a particular aspect of life.
What IS, not what SHOULD BE.
Empirical research = doing research with data / systematically answering empirical questions
using observations
, Research Methodology and Descriptive Statistics
- Systematically: try to exclude the possibilities that other answers are better than the
answer we give.
- Emperical: things we can observe
Procedure: empirical research question knowledge/answer.
- Asking experts or listen to parents? relying on expertise of others or traditions
Think and observe by yourself!
Different research questions means different ways of finding answers.
Normative questions – not in this course – what is allowed or what is good?
Conceptual questions – not in this course – do not need an additonal observation
Empirical questions: require observations. Two main types:
o Descriptive; what is the shape of the earth?
o Explanatory of causal; specific measures/effects. about causes and effects.
o (Predictive questions)
How-to questions can be broken up into descriptive and explanatory questions.
These questions come from curiosity (understand the world), follow up existing theories an
puzzles, decision making (practical)
How to answer empirical research questions?
1. Think about possible answers/talk to others/read literature
2. Plan how we can test what we think
3. Observe on base of the planning
4. Analyze the observations and arrive at some conclusions
Scientific literature concepts:
1. Thinking/preliminary answers = theory
2. Planning = research design = a blueprint of how you are going to conduct your study
3. Observe = data collection
4. Analyzing data = data analysis
Wheel of Science: question theory research design data collection data analysis
answers/knowledge (conclusion)
Deduction: starting with theory and think how we can test theory (we already know
something) we DEjuice from general ideas. You start with something quite general (a
theory) and end up with something specific (a prediction for a certain situation).
Induction: starting with data and trying to arrive at conclusion (we know nothing)
start with observing and end up with a general conclusion.
