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Chapter 1 9/16/2013 12:051Geog 3250

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Research Problem What Is a Social Research Problem? A statement about the social world Broad Socially relevant Clear Researchable Allow the researcher to make a contribution to existing knowledge Something that may be addressed by human actions 9/16/2013 12:052Geog 3250

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Research Problem Examples Young adults increasingly obese/overweight London diverts less waste from landfill than Toronto Technology (sometimes) negatively impacts social interaction Some people are healthy, and others are not 9/16/2013 12:053Geog 3250

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Tell us your problem Carefully word a research problem (feel free to bounce your idea off of your neighbour before submitting). 9/16/2013 12:05Geog 32504 Text 213023 and your message to 37607 i.e. type in the message 213023 This is my problem statement OR Respond at this linkthis link OR Respond at PollEv.com/geog3250PollEv.com/geog3250 (note to self: push poll to this page now!) live poll results click hereclick here

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Research Questions What Is a Research Question? Addresses a research problem Aids in scoping research Allow contributions to knowledge Relates to theory More general than an hypothesis May be a stepping stone to generating hypotheses 9/16/2013 12:055Geog 3250

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Research Questions Sources of good research questions 9/16/2013 12:056Geog 3250 Observation Skepticism Reading about current knowledge Reflection

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Research Questions Identifying good research questions Identify a topic that interests you Write down possible questions Ask yourself is it feasible answerable? Find out existing theory and research on this topic, ask experts Formulate as specific hypothesis where appropriate Identify central concepts 9/16/2013 12:057Geog 3250

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Exercise Work in pairs or triplets Select and reword one of your research problems Scope the problem into with two research questions Be prepared to share with the group 9/16/2013 12:05Geog 32508

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Theory What Is Theory? An explanation of observed regularities or patterns Purpose To understand pressing social problems To assess the adequacy of existing social theory 9/16/2013 12:059Geog 3250

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Components of a Theory Comprised of concepts Definitions Descriptions of the phenomena of interest Relational statements These can be deterministic or probabilistic 9/16/2013 12:0510Geog 3250 Theory of individual/community wellness

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Types of Theories Theories of the middle range Limited in scope and can be tested directly e.g., Durkheims theory of suicide, invasion succession and gentrification Grand theories General and abstract, cannot be tested directly e.g., structural functionalism, symbolic interactionism 9/16/2013 12:0511Geog 3250

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Grand Social Theories These should sound familiar. We also use them in social geography 9/16/2013 12:05Geog 325012 Click the image to watch videovideo

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The Relationship between Theory and Research Two major forms of logic in social scientific enquiry: Deduction Induction 9/16/2013 12:0513Geog 3250

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The Relationship between Theory and Research DEDUCTION Using deduction, one begins with a theory or possible explanation for something, then goes out into the world and tests it. 9/16/2013 12:0514Geog 3250

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Observations Empirical Generalizations Deduction 9/16/2013 12:0515Geog 3250

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Induction Another way to conduct inquiry is by using induction. Here one begins by gathering or examining data, and then tries to derive concepts, and ultimately a theory or explanation from the data. 9/16/2013 12:0516Geog 3250

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Deduction and Induction 9/16/2013 12:0517Geog 3250

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Theory Hypotheses Observations Empirical Generalizations Deduction 9/16/2013 12:0518Geog 3250

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Theory Hypotheses Observations Empirical Generalizations Logic of Science INDUCTION DEDUCTION 9/16/2013 12:0519Geog 3250

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Induction Contd Deriving theories or explanations from qualitative data is sometimes called grounded theory. It is grounded because: The data has primacy over theory because the theme emerges from looking at the data after it has been collected It asks How does this social space work? 9/16/2013 12:0520Geog 3250

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Epistemological Positions: Positivism Social scientists should use the same methods of inquiry that are used in the natural sciences. Empiricism: knowledge must be based on information gathered through the senses. A deductive approach (hypothesis testing) can be used to acquire knowledge. 9/16/2013 12:0521Geog 3250

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Epistemological Positions: Positivism In some instances induction may provide knowledge or generalizations or laws. Relies on scientific statements not normative statements. The former has no judgement attached. Thus, objectivity should be possible. 9/16/2013 12:0522Geog 3250

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Epistemological Positions: Interpretivism Researchers should use inductive methods to try to grasp the subjective meanings of peoples actions. Actions should be viewed from the point of view of the social actors, i.e., the people studied. Researchers should develop an empathetic understanding of the people studied, sometimes referred to as verstehen (Weber). 9/16/2013 12:0523Geog 3250

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Ontological Positions Objectivist: social phenomena have a reality independent of our perceptions. Assumption / bias in research toward formal properties of social groups or interactions, Constructionist (hard): what passes for reality is merely a set of mental constructions. Reality impossible to know without using constructionsso it does not exist on its own. Assumption / bias in research toward the changing nature of social organization. Academics job is to trace the implications of various constructions 9/16/2013 12:0524Geog 3250

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Ontological Positions, contd. Constructionist (soft): There is an objective social reality. However, many of our ideas and perceptions are false or misguided because they have been constructed to justify distasteful forms of domination rather than a more positive and alternative objective social reality (that either existed in the past or in a vision of the future) academics job is to uncover that reality 9/16/2013 12:0525Geog 3250 and reality is changeable not biologically predetermined

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Ontological Positions, contd. Objectivist: social reality is fixed; we have little or no control over it. Constructionist: we create our social worlds through our actions, in particular through interaction and negotiation. 9/16/2013 12:0526Geog 3250 Men and women construct the world differently?

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Orientations: Quantitative and Qualitative Research Quantitative: Uses numbers and statistics in the collection and analysis of data. Qualitative: Uses mainly words and other non-numeric symbols in the collection and analysis of data. 9/16/2013 12:0527Geog 3250

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9/16/2013 12:0528Geog 3250 Review

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Values Contribute to bias in research Choice of topic Formulation of the research question Choice of method Formulation of research design and data collection methods Actual data collection Analysis of data Interpretation of data Conclusions 9/16/2013 12:0530Geog 3250

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Values and enquiry In 1997 who was the fastest man on earth? What criteria? 100m? 200m? top speed? top speed average speed? 100m Ben Johnson 9.79 (1988 Olympics) Donovan Bailey 9.79 (1996 Olympics) Maurice Greene 9.79 (1997 Worlds) = 36.7km/h 200m Michael Johnson 19.32 (37.3 km/h) (1996 Olympics) 9/16/2013 12:05Geog 325031 DonovanBenMichael Usain 9.58 100m = 37.6 km/hr

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Values Three different positions on values in social research: 1. Research should be value-free. 2. Research cannot be value-free, but researchers should be open and explicit about their values. 3. Researchers should use their values to direct and interpret their investigations: value commitment is a good thing for researchers to have. 9/16/2013 12:0532Geog 3250

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Politics Researchers sometimes take sides. Funding: Who gets it? Are strings attached? Research subjects/participants: who gets access? Are strings attached? Research findings: what sorts of findings are acceptable to those who fund or publish research? 9/16/2013 12:0533Geog 3250

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Practical Considerations The choice of research method should match the research question. A research question states the purpose of the study in the form of a question. e.g., Why is the consumption of alcohol legal, whereas pot use is illegal? Methods next day 9/16/2013 12:0534Geog 3250

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Review Whether they achieve it or not, all social scientists strive to be value free just like their natural science counterparts. 9/16/2013 12:05Geog 325035 Phone number in your speeddial: 37607 True = 384247 False = 384248 OR Respond at this linkthis link live poll results click hereclick here No peeking upwards in the notes

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Review According to our text, all constructionists subscribe to an ontology that there is no reality that is independent from concepts we use to describe our world reality is entirely constructed by us. 9/16/2013 12:05Geog 325036 Phone number in your speeddial: 37607 True = 515360 False = 515361 OR Respond at this linkthis link live poll results click hereclick here No peeking upwards in the notes