Independent Dependent Variable Review Crime at Full Moon

The Scientific Method

Learning Outcomes

• Describe the scientific method equally information technology applies to sociological research
• Distinguish reliability from validity in a inquiry written report
• Distinguish an independent variable from a dependent variable

When sociologists employ the sociological perspective and brainstorm to ask questions, no topic is off limits. Every aspect of homo beliefs is a source of possible investigation. Sociologists question the world that humans accept created and live in. They notice patterns of behavior equally people move through that world. Using sociological methods and systematic research inside the framework of the scientific method and a scholarly interpretive perspective, sociologists have discovered workplace patterns that have transformed industries, family patterns that have led to legislative changes, and education patterns that have aided structural changes in classrooms.

Figure 1. Inquiry provides no evidence that crime rates increment during a total moon.

The "crime charge per unit during a total moon" discussion mentioned earlier put forth a few loosely stated opinions. The adept news is we tin expect at data sets that show us if at that place is a connection between full moons and offense rates. If there appears to be a trend of increased crime during those times, nosotros should begin to investigate other variables to run across whether there is something else that could business relationship for this human relationship. If we were to find that more crime occurs during full moons, this information could inform policing strategies and potentially brand cities safer during full moons. Of course, we would be left with more questions! What is it about total moons that pb to increases in law-breaking? Is this true for men and women? Young and old? In cities and in rural areas?

Connecting crime to a total moon might not seem like mutual sense to the skeptic. What about law-breaking and hot weather? Or crime and holidays? Or law-breaking during natural disasters? Are there more fierce crimes in states with less restrictive gun policies? Yous tin can come across how at that place are many, many questions that can be asked most any given topic, also how this type of enquiry tin can be extremely important for informing and shaping public policy.

The Scientific Method

Sociologists brand use of tried and true methods of research, such as experiments, surveys, and field enquiry, but humans and their social interactions are so diverse that these examples might seem un-scientific. However, this is exactly why scientific models work for studying human behavior. A scientific process of research establishes parameters that help brand sure results are audio. The scientific method involves developing and testing theories about the globe based on empirical prove. It is defined past its delivery to systematic observation of the empirical earth and strives to be objective, critical, skeptical, and logical. Information technology involves a series of prescribed steps that have been established over centuries of scholarship.

Figure 2. The scientific method is an essential tool in research.

Results of studies tend to provide people with access to knowledge they did not have earlier—knowledge of other cultures, cognition of rituals and beliefs, or noesis of trends and attitudes. No affair what research arroyo they utilize, researchers want to maximize the study's reliability , which refers to how likely research results are to be replicated if the study is reproduced. If another sociologist follows the aforementioned research protocols, volition they come with the same results? If so, then the study is reliable. The more than exciting the findings, and the more than they challenge prevailing understandings, the more likely it is that other sociologists volition try to replicate them.

Researchers also strive for validity , which refers to how well the written report measures what it was designed to measure. Returning to the crime rate during a full moon topic, the reliability of a study would reflect how well the results stand for the average adult offense rate during a full moon. Validity would ensure that the study's design accurately examined what it was designed to report and not something else such equally ane's perception of criminal activity. If police officers believe at that place is more criminal activity during a full moon, they might exist more likely to see criminal action and to formalize it by making arrests instead of giving warnings, which would really create the advent of increased criminal activity–via documentation–during a full moon.  This testify would be created even if the corporeality of criminal activeness were no dissimilar than on any other night. Thus, what is really existence measured is police officers' perception of crime, and their subsequent deportment during a total moon, rather than criminal activity.

Sociologists tin use the scientific method not only to collect but also to interpret and clarify the information. They deliberately apply scientific logic and objectivity. They are interested in—but non attached to—the results. They work exterior of their ain political or social agendas. This doesn't mean researchers do not have their own personalities, complete with preferences and opinions. Only sociologists deliberately utilize the scientific method to maintain equally much objectivity, focus, and consistency equally possible in a item report. In the finish, the scientific method provides a shared basis for discussion and analysis (Merton 1963). Typically, the scientific method starts with these steps—i) ask a question, 2) research existing sources, and iii) codify a hypothesis.

Try It

Inquire a Question

Effigy 3. The scientific process begins with a good question.

The commencement step of the scientific method is to ask a question, depict a problem, and identify the specific surface area of involvement. The topic should be narrow enough to study within a geography and time frame. "Are societies capable of sustained happiness?" would be too vague. Are married people happier than single people? Are people with children happier than people without children? These questions are more specific, merely how is happiness defined and measured?

The question should too be wide plenty to have universal merit. "What practise personal hygiene habits reveal well-nigh the values of higher freshman at XYZ College?" would be likewise narrow so we might want to augment it to a particular age grouping (i.e. traditional college students ages eighteen-22). Too, if you sensed some implicit bias in this question, you would be correct to question whether hygiene, a series of behaviors, should exist studied as behaviors or as values (beliefs).

That said, happiness and hygiene are worthy topics to study but must be framed as research questions. As you tin can probably see, this is a difficult procedure even for veteran sociologists. Sociologists are careful to define their terms. When forming these basic research questions, sociologists develop an operational definition , that is, they define the concept in terms of the concrete or concrete steps it takes to objectively measure it. The operational definition identifies an appreciable condition of the concept. By operationalizing a variable of the concept, all researchers can collect data methodically in a way that supports the overarching goals of validity and reliability in sociological enquiry.

In a hygiene study, for instance, hygiene could be defined every bit "personal habits to maintain physical appearance (as opposed to wellness);" even so that might be difficult to measure. Would brushing one's teeth be considered physical appearance (i.eastward white teeth) or health (i.e. healthy gums, foreclose molar disuse, etc.)? To operationalize hygiene, i must be articulate well-nigh what constitutes personal hygiene for appearance. A researcher could develop a checklist, for example, of things that are included.

Many times, a research question changes. Perhaps later on thinking about hygiene and values, the question changes to "How practice differing personal hygiene habits reflect cultural gender office norms?" Thus, the means in culture shapes something very personal would be the topic of this study. Should a woman shave or not shave her legs? Should a man take a beard? Some facial hair? No facial hair? What most nail care for women? For men?

Scout It

Sentinel this video to acquire more about the importance of using the scientific method in sociology.

Research Existing Sources

The next step researchers undertake is to conduct background enquiry through a literature review , which is a review of any existing similar or related studies. A visit to the library or a thorough online search of research databases will uncover existing inquiry about the topic of study. This step helps researchers gain a broad understanding of work previously conducted on the topic at hand and enables them to position their own research to build on prior knowledge. Researchers—including student researchers—are responsible for correctly citing existing sources they use in a report or that inform their work. While information technology is fine to borrow previously published textile (as long as information technology enhances a unique viewpoint), it must be referenced properly and never plagiarized. This step might as well prompt the researcher to revisit their enquiry question!

To study hygiene and its value in a particular society, a researcher might sort through existing inquiry and unearth studies about child-rearing, vanity, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, and cultural attitudes toward beauty. It'south of import to sift through this information and determine what is relevant. Using existing sources educates researchers and helps refine and meliorate studies' designs.

Formulate a Hypothesis

People commonly try to understand the happenings in their world past finding or creating an explanation for an occurrence, which is what we referred to earlier as common sense. Social scientists may develop a hypothesis for the same reason. A hypothesis is a testable educated gauge about predicted outcomes between 2 or more than variables; it's a possible caption for specific happenings in the social world and allows for testing to determine whether the caption holds true in many instances, besides as among diverse groups or in unlike places. The hypothesis will often predict how one grade of man behavior influences another. The independent variables  is the cause of the alter or the variable thatinfluences the other variable. The dependent variable is the effect, or variable that is changed. It dependson the independent variable.

For case, researchers found one form of human behavior as the independent variable and observe the influence information technology has on a dependent variable. How does gender (the independent variable) affect charge per unit of income (the dependent variable)?

How does one's religion (the contained variable) affect family size (the dependent variable)? How is annual income (the dependent variable) afflicted past level of education (the contained variable)? It is important to note that we are suggesting relationships or correlations betwixt variables andnotcausation. This is known every bitcorrelation.

Table 1. Examples of Dependent and Independent Variables.

Hypothesis	Independent Variable	Dependent Variable
The greater the availability of affordable housing, the lower the homeless rate.	Affordable housing	Homeless rate
The greater the availability of math tutoring, the higher the math grades.	Math tutoring	Math grades
The greater the police patrol presence, the safer the neighborhood.	Police patrol presence	Safer neighborhood
The greater the manufactory lighting, the higher the productivity.	Factory lighting	Productivity
Individuals with higher degrees or higher are less likely to live below the poverty line.	College instruction	Likelihood of living beneath the poverty line

Every bit the table shows, an independent variable is the one that influences the other variable. Rather than beingness "right," sociologists are interested in the relationships between variables. If we were to examine the last example, what other variables might come into play? Would we see similar patterns of income for all college-educated people or are there disparities for racial and ethnic minorities? Gender minorities? Kickoff, we must move into the next research steps: designing and conducting a written report and drawing conclusions. You lot'll learn more about these types of inquiry methods in the next department of the class.

Attempt Information technology

Think It Over

Sociology is a broad bailiwick covering many topics. Remember near something that interests you and/or relates to your experience or your life. As a college student, you operate within a social world ripe for research!

• From competitive sports teams to fraternities or sororities to ROTC to intramural sports and student clubs, there are a plethora of groups on college campuses that would brand skillful topics of study.
• The proverbial college experience is different based on 1'southward statuses, specially minority statuses, such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and social class.
• Consider your higher'due south relationship to the surrounding community and that community's relationship with the state and/or land.

If you were to codify a research question and exercise some preliminary inquiry on these topics, you would probable find that there have been sociological studies conducted on many of these topics. Furthermore, y'all would find statistical information about student groups and participation, student demographics, and community demographics.

What value does this type of research have for understanding individuals, groups, and communities?

Glossary

correlation:

when a change in i variable coincides with a change in another variable, but does not necessarily indicate causation

dependent variable:
a variable changed by other variables

hypothesis:

a testable educated guess about predicted outcomes betwixt two or more than variables

independent variables:

variables that cause changes in dependent variables

literature review:

a scholarly research step that entails identifying and studying all existing studies on a topic to create a basis for new research

operational definitions:

specific explanations of abstract concepts that a researcher plans to study

reliability:

a measure of a written report's consistency that considers how likely results are to exist replicated if a study is reproduced

scientific method:

an established scholarly enquiry method that involves asking a question, researching existing sources, forming a hypothesis, designing and conducting a written report, and drawing conclusions

validity:

the caste to which a sociological measure out accurately reflects the topic of written report

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Source: https://pressbooks.nscc.ca/lumensociology2/chapter/the-scientific-method/

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