Four methods of social research that are useful for understanding social problems are survey research, statistical analysis of official records, experiment, and participant observation.

 

 1) Survey research employs interviews and questionnaires on a sample of people in order to get data.

 

2) Statistical analysis of official records may be simple (computing means, medians, and frequency distributions) or relatively complex (computing tests of significance).

 

3) Experiment involves manipulation of one or more variables, control of other variables, and measurement of consequences in still other variables. Experiments frequently take place in a laboratory setting, where the researcher has a high degree of control over what happens.

 

Finally,

 

4) participant observation involves both participation and observation on the part of the researcher; the researcher is both a part of and detached from the social reality being studied.

 

mj has been copyed from :

Social Problems and the Quality of Life,

Robert H. Lauer, Alliant International University/USIU
Jeanette C. Lauer, Alliant International University/USIU