Methods, Data, and Research Ethics
How research is done
Finding reliable answers
Social scientists use methods such as surveys, interviews, experiments, observation, and analysis of documents or statistics. Different questions require different methods. Good research aims to be clear, careful, and transparent.
Common research methods
| Method | What it is good for |
|---|---|
| Survey | Collecting answers from many people |
| Interview | Getting detailed explanations from individuals |
| Observation | Watching behavior in real settings |
| Experiment | Testing whether one factor influences another |
| Document analysis | Studying texts, records, or media |
Ethics matter
Social research must protect people from harm, respect privacy, and use informed consent whenever possible.
Which method is best for collecting detailed personal explanations?
Interviews allow people to explain their thoughts in their own words.
Correct answer: Interview
What is informed consent?
Ethical research requires participants to understand and agree voluntarily.
Correct answer: Permission to participate after being told enough about the study to choose freely.
Reading data carefully
Avoiding mistakes
Data can be misleading if the sample is too small, biased, or not representative. Correlation does not automatically mean causation. Social scientists must consider context, definitions, and limitations before drawing conclusions.
Why is correlation not always causation?
A relationship between variables does not by itself prove cause and effect.
Correct answer: Because two things can change together without one causing the other
Name one reason a sample may be unreliable.
Sampling problems can make results less accurate.
Correct answer: It may be too small, biased, or not representative of the larger group.