Today:

Health ContinuedResearch Methods* All extra credit due by next class Wednesday May 29th

“The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.” Samuel Johnson

Have some form of universal health careAttempting to implement universal health careNo universal health care

Source: World Health Organization 2010

Universal Health Care Availability

Sick Around The WorldHow did each of these nations provide national health

care?

England/United Kingdom/Great BritainJapanGermanyTaiwanSwitzerland

Which country?

Health Ministry controls costs of all procedures and

treatments:

a. England

b. Japan

c. Germany

d. Taiwan

e. Switzerland

Which country?

Citizens pay for health coverage based on income:

a. England

b. Japan

c. Germany

d. Taiwan

e. Switzerland

Which country?

Had a system like ours, but changed to universal

health care?

a. England

b. Japan

c. Germany

d. Taiwan

e. Switzerland

Which country?

National health service paid through taxes?

a. England

b. Japan

c. Germany

d. Taiwan

e. Switzerland

Which country?

Uses technology to control costs?

a. England

b. Japan

c. Germany

d. Taiwan

e. Switzerland

Answer the following questions with a partner 1. Crime: What is the social life of most serial killers like? 2. Crime: What is the intelligence level of most serial killers?3. Drug use: What happens to most people who return to drug use

after rehabilitation treatment?4. Age: Where do most elderly people tend to live (not which city, but

in what kind of situation)?5. Education: Have weapons related injuries in schools over the last 5

years increased, decreased, or stayed the same?6. Family: How does marriage impact a person’s sex life? 7. Age and Language: Is there an age group that learns new languages

more easily? If so which group?8. Education: What is the reason that a high number of K-12 teachers

in the U.S. quit within the first five years?

Social research, debunking myths

Myth: Serial killers are all dysfunctional loners

Fact: Many serial killers can hide in plain sight because they look just like everyone else with jobs, nice homes, and families.

What is the social life of most serial killers like?

Social research, debunking myths

Myth: Most serial killers are evil geniuses.

Fact: The serial killer as an "evil genius" is mostly a Hollywood invention

What is the intelligence level of most serial killers?

Social research, debunking myths

Myth: People who go back to drugs after rehab are hopeless and end up over dosing or in jail.

Fact: Completing a treatment program is just the first step. Recovery is a long process and frequently requires multiple treatment attempts

What happens to most people who return to drug use after rehabilitation treatment?

Social research, debunking myths

Myth: Growing old means dependency, probably in an institution

Fact: In 2009 just 3.4%of U.S. seniors lived in nursing homes

Where do most elderly people tend to live?

Social research, debunking myths

Myth: Married people have less satisfying sex lives, and less sex, than single people.

Fact: According to a large-scale national study, married people have more sex than their unmarried counterparts.

How does marriage affect a person’s sex life?

Social research, debunking myths

Myth: Children learn second languages quickly and easily.Fact: Current research indicates that children have no biological advantage in learning languages.

Is there an age group that learns new languages more easily? If so which group?

Social research, debunking myths

Myth: Weapons-related injuries in schools have increased dramatically in the last 5 years.Fact: Weapons-related injuries have not changed significantly in the past 20 years. Compared to neighborhoods and homes, schools are relatively safe

How have weapons related injuries in schools changed in the last 5 years?

Social research, debunking myths

Myth: Most teachers leave due to low pay, bad behavior

What is the reason that a high number of kindergarten through 12th grade teachers in the United States quit within the first five years?

Fact: Most teachers state that negative aspects of the school environment cause them to leave

What is the point of social research?• Some think sociology simply states the obvious• It is actually based on research and scientific methods• Often refutes “common sense”• Debunking=looking below the surface or behind the curtain of

every day life to gain a deeper understanding of society

Why study social research?

Benefits to all of usBenefits to Sociology MajorsBenefits to those who plan to earn a Master’s Degree

Purposes of conducting research

Exploration– Purpose to investigate a little understood issue

Description– Purpose is to paint a picture

– Describe all details

Explanation– Purpose to explain why events occurs

– Build, elaborate, or a test a theory

Steps in the research process

1. Select a topic2. Literature Review3. Research design/ Methods4. Collect data5. Code data6. Results and discussion7. Inform Others

Each steps has importance

1. Identify your topic Topic:Problems in Education

Refine the question:

Why do teachers quit?

2. Research-Literature Review Read 10 or more academic sources, explain what has already been

said about your topic, and what you will add to this body of work

3. Research Design/ Methods:Choose a way to examine the topic

• Create your hypothesis• How you will gather information?• Size of the study?• Who will be in the study?• What type of study?

Focus

Size of studyMacro= large scaleMicro=small

3. Research Design/ Methods:Choose a way to examine the topic

Quantitative Qualitative

Deals with numbers. Data can be measured.

Deals with descriptions. Data can be observed but not measured.

Surveys, tests Observations, interviews

3. Research Design/ Methods:

Qualitative data:•robust aroma •frothy appearance •strong taste •burgundy cup

Quantitative data:•12 ounces of latte •serving temperature 130º F. •serving cup 4 inches•cost $3.25

Example: Coffee

Quantitative Qualitative

Deals with numbers. Data which can be measured.

Surveys, tests

Deals with descriptions. Data can be observed but not measured.

Observations, interviews

3. Research Design/ Methods:

Qualitative data:friendly demeanors interested in volunteeringenvironmentalists positive school spirit

Quantitative data:672 students 394 girls, 278 boys 68% on honor roll 150 students accelerated in mathematics

Example: freshman class

Develop a hypothesis

Instead of asking a broad question: Why do teachers quit?Design a hypothesis focusing on relationships:

“What is the relationship between ____and ____?”

Or

“____are more likely to _____?”

What are the independent and dependent variables?(Look for dependent first)

What is the relationship between teacher pay and teachers quitting?

What is the relationship between student behavior and teachers quitting?

Teachers who work in low income schools are more likely to quit than those who do not.

independent

dependent

independent

independent

dependent

dependent

• Field Research /Participant Observation

• Experimental research

• Surveys

• Existing statistics

• Content Analysis

4. Collecting data

Ways of collecting data

1. Participant observation/

Field research

Researcher observes and records notes on people in a natural setting for an extended period of time.

Ways of collecting data

2. Experimental researchResearcher manipulates conditions for some

participants but not others, and then compares groups responses

Ways of collecting data

3. Survey ResearchGetting information through questionsInterviews or written surveys

Ways of collecting data

4. Existing statistics researchResearcher reexamines and analyzes data that has been

gathered by someone else

Example:

U.S. Census Reports on unemployment

Police reports on homicides

Ways of Collecting Data: Content Analysis

5. Content analysis Analyzing information in written or symbolic material:MusicMoviesTVMagazinesAds

Operationalize the variables:Define your variable.

How exactly will you measure the variables?

What is the relationship between adequate sleep and student participation?

dependent variable

independent variable

Survey students: Last night I had:A.0-5 hours of sleepB.5-7 hours of sleepC.8 or more hours of sleep

Observe class:•Count how many times students ask or answer a ?•Count how many times they contribute in small group discussions

Adequate sleep = 8-9 hours Participation = 1+ comment in whole group discussion, 3+ comments in small group discussion

5. Code, Analyze and Interpret Data

• Analyze your data

• Code your information (look for themes/patterns/trends)

• Present the data in an organized, interesting manner

• View The Joy of Stats

6. Results

• Discussion of results: interpret the data, discuss any shortcomings in your study

7. Inform others• Summary/ conclusions• Get study published• Make recommendations

Next class:• All extra credit due by next class -

Wednesday May 29th

• 5 points maximum

What would you research?• Design a study. Move desks into groups of 4,

select ANY topic (social problem) Possible topics:

teenage pregnancyalcoholism college drop outs violence in schools eating disorders gang membershipor others

IRB ApprovalInstitutional Review Board: committee required by federal law to ensure that research is conducted in a responsible, ethical manner.

Unethical Studies1931: Dr. Cornelius Rhoads conducted a cancer experiment in Puerto Rico purposely infecting subjects with cancer cells, 13 subjects died

1946-48: U.S. recently (Oct 2010) apologized for deadly experiments on hundred of Guatemalans injected with STD’sU.S. public health service doctors injected Guatemalan patients with syphilis and gonorrhea without their knowledge, to study the effect of penicillin as a treatment

1968: Sterilization study, Puerto Rican women were convinced to have tubal ligation (“tubes tied”) 1/3 of the women in the study were not told the operation was permanent

1932-1972: Tuskegee, Alabama. 399 African-American men were recruited for clinical study of syphilis Never told they had syphilis, never treated Given free medical exams and free meals

Steps in the research process1. Select a topic, create a research question: specific aims, purpose, betterment of society?

2. Literature review: helps you refine your question, state what you will add to

current research

3. Research designs/methods:carefully design to ensure high reliability and ethical

methods (how will you get your information?)

Steps in the research process4. Collect data: ethical, organized manner, may need IRB approval

5. Code data: organize your data and look for themes, create charts/graphs

Steps in the research process

6. Interpret: analyze, interpret, and discuss your results, include a discussion of any shortcomings in your methods

7. Inform: share conclusions and recommendations

Real Life Example

Gang Leader For A Day

Sudhir Venkatesh

•Professor of Sociology at Columbia University

•Spent 6 years living in the Robert Taylor Projects in Chicago