Social science methods such as surveys, observations and content analyses are used in market research, studies of contemporary history, urban planning and communication research. They are all the more needed by sociologists and empirically working political scientists. Whether in the context of evaluating a prevention programme or for surveying health behaviour or for a study on social mobility, the confident handling of the social science instruments is always a prerequisite for obtaining reliable results. This book provides important information for users and developers of these instruments. It deals with the theoretical foundations of the methods, the steps in the conception and implementation of a project, the many variants of data collection, the methods to be used in the selection of study units, as well as the principles to be observed in the evaluation and documentation of the findings. With the help of numerous examples, a particularly clear presentation is achieved.
In the fourth, updated edition, river sampling has now been included in the selection process, digital methods are increasingly presented and, against the background of the new data protection regulation, research ethics and data protection are also updated.
Author(s): Michael Häder
Publisher: Springer
Year: 2022
Language: English
Pages: 469
City: Wiesbaden
Contents
1: The Structure of This Book: An Introduction
2: The Importance of Methodological Knowledge for Understanding Empirical Data
2.1 On the Need to Reflect on Research Methods
2.1.1 First Example: The Evaluation of the CDU
2.1.2 Second Example: Television Viewing Time
2.1.3 Third Example: The Ladders
2.1.4 Fourth Example: Prohibited and Not Allowed
2.2 Some Basic Concepts
2.2.1 Empirical Social Research
2.2.2 Methods
2.2.3 Techniques
2.2.4 Methodology
2.2.5 Theory
2.2.6 Empiricism
2.2.7 Qualitative and Quantitative Data
2.2.8 Variable
3: Philosophy of Science
3.1 The Concern of the Philosophy of Science
3.2 Problems and Their Formulation
3.2.1 Problems as Conflicts Between Goals and Means
3.2.2 Types of Problems
3.3 Terms and Their Definitions
3.3.1 Nominal Definitions
3.3.2 Real Definitions
3.3.3 Operational Definitions
3.4 Hypotheses and Their Treatment
3.4.1 If-Then Hypotheses
3.4.2 Je-desto Hypotheses
3.4.3 Deterministic (or Nomological) and Probabilistic Hypotheses
3.4.4 Individual, Collective and Contextual Hypotheses
3.4.5 Differentiation of Hypotheses According to Their Stage of Development
3.5 Operationalisation
3.6 Theories and Laws
3.6.1 Theories with Different Scope
3.6.2 Nomological and Probabilistic Laws
3.6.3 The Role of Theories and Laws in Explanations
3.6.4 Presentation of Theories
3.7 The Value Judgement Problem
3.8 Qualitative and Quantitative Research Approaches
4: Research and Investigation Planning
4.1 Phases of an Empirical Project
4.2 The Example of the Dresden Self-Defence Study 2001/2002
4.3 Measurement and Index Formation
4.3.1 Problem Definition
4.3.2 The Principles of Measurement
4.3.3 The Formation of the Index
4.4 Scales and Scaling Methods
4.4.1 The Different Measurement (Scale) Levels
4.4.2 Scaling Procedure
4.5 The Quality Criteria of Objectivity, Reliability and Validity
4.5.1 Objectivity
4.5.2 Reliability
4.5.3 Validity
4.6 Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Studies
4.7 Non-Reactive Approaches
4.7.1 Non-Reactive Field Experiments
4.7.2 Behavioural Traces
4.7.3 Use of Process-Produced Data
4.8 Secondary Analyses of Data Sets
4.9 Data Protection, Anonymity and Confidentiality
5: Sampling Procedure
5.1 Basic Concepts and Classification
5.1.1 Sample Size
5.1.2 Confidence Interval
5.2 Random Sampling in Survey Practice
5.2.1 The ADM Design
5.2.2 Register Sampling: The Sample of Population Registers
5.2.3 Telephone Sampling
5.3 Sampling for Intercultural Studies
5.4 Sampling for Access Panels and Internet Surveys
5.4.1 Selections for Access Panels
5.4.2 Sampling for Intra- and Internet Surveys
5.5 Lump Sampling: The Example of the PISA Studies
5.6 Quota Selection
5.7 Sampling for Special Populations and for Qualitative Studies
5.8 The Non-Response Problem and the Possibilities of Weightings
5.8.1 Nonresponse
5.8.2 The Weighting of Samples
6: Survey Methods
6.1 Surveys
6.1.1 Classification Options
6.1.2 Theories of Interviewing
6.1.3 Forms of Questioning and Their Specific Features
6.1.4 Examples of Survey Studies
6.2 Social Science Observations
6.2.1 Basic Problems of Scientific Observations
6.2.2 Forms of Observation
6.2.3 Observation Errors
6.2.4 The Development of the Observation Design
6.2.5 The Social Prestige of a Residential Area: Example of a Standardised, Non-Participatory External Observation in the Field
6.3 Content Analyses
6.3.1 Examples of Content Analysis
6.3.2 Specifics of Social Science Content Analyses
6.3.3 Classification Possibilities of Content Analyses
6.3.4 Advantages and Limitations
6.3.5 Survey Research in the Mirror of the Press, an Example of Content Analysis
6.3.6 Special Forms of Content Analysis
7: Complex Designs
7.1 Social Experiments
7.1.1 Nature and History of Social Experiments
7.1.2 Types of Experiments and Their Sources of Error
7.1.3 The GfK BehaviorScan: An Example of a Social Science Experiment from Market Research
7.2 Case Studies
7.3 Delphi Surveys
7.3.1 Concerns of the Delphi Approach
7.3.2 The Future of the Dresden Frauenkirche, Example of a Delphi Survey
7.4 Evaluation Studies
7.4.1 The Concern of Evaluation Studies
7.4.2 The Approach to Evaluation Studies
7.4.3 Types of Evaluation Studies
7.4.4 Evaluation of the Three Strikes Law in the USA, an Example
7.5 Intercultural Studies: The Example of the European Social Survey
7.5.1 Organisational Structure
7.5.2 Translation
7.5.3 Sampling Strategy
7.5.4 Intercultural Fieldwork, Organisation and Control
7.6 Time Budget Studies
7.6.1 Methodological Concepts for Time Use Studies
7.6.2 Time Concepts
7.6.3 Examples of Results of Time Use Studies
7.6.4 Design of a Time Use Survey
8: Pretests
8.1 Overview of the Procedures
8.2 Pretesting in the Field
8.2.1 Standard Pretest/Observation Pretest
8.2.2 Behaviour Coding
8.2.3 Problem Coding
8.2.4 Random Sample
8.2.5 Intensive Interview
8.2.6 Qualitative Interviews
8.2.7 Analysis of Response Distributions
8.2.8 Split-Ballot Technique
8.3 Cognitive Procedures
8.3.1 Think Aloud Method
8.3.2 Probing/Demand Technique
8.3.3 Paraphrasing
8.3.4 Sorting
8.3.5 Response Latency
8.4 Expert Evaluations
8.5 The Pretest Design of the Dresden Self-Defence Survey 2001
8.5.1 Issues to Be Addressed in the Pre-Test
8.5.2 The Pretest Design
8.5.3 Implementation
8.5.4 Results
8.5.5 The Pretest at the Survey Institute
9: Preparation and Evaluation of the Data
9.1 Preparation of Data and Troubleshooting
9.1.1 Preparation of Qualitative Data
9.1.2 Preparation of Quantitative Data
9.2 Basic Principles of Statistical Analysis
9.2.1 Descriptive Evaluations
9.2.2 Inferential Statistical Analyses
9.2.3 The CHAID Analysis
9.3 Multivariate Methods for Data Analysis
9.3.1 Factor Analysis
9.3.2 Cluster Analyses
9.3.3 Regression Analyses
9.4 The Use of Facet Theory for Data Evaluation
9.4.1 Basic Principles
9.4.2 Search for Causes of Mispartitioning
9.5 Qualitative Analyses
9.5.1 Photography and Film Analysis
9.5.2 Body Language Analysis
10: Documentation of Empirical Projects
10.1 The Quality Criteria of Survey Research and the Handling of Empirical Data
10.2 Method Reports
References
Name Index
Subject Index
