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8 – Available Data
Why Should I Care? Many – if not most – researchers are producing reports based on data that was collected by someone else. This is convenient because it saves time and money. But it is also tricky because there may be gaps or errors in the data that the end-...
10 – Operationalization
Why Should I Care? How the data is gathered can affect the results, and the amount of time and resources needed to complete the project. You need to think this through before you start the project. Definitions Operationalization: Setting up systems of measu...
17 – Averages
Why Should I Care? You can make numbers tell the story you wish to tell. This is unethical and evil. So knowing how others are – or not – using basic tricks of statistics will help you read through the lies. Definitions Central tendency Frequency M...
16 – Communicating Results
Why Should I Care? The type of data, and your disciplinary focus, will determine the medium you will use to report the data. Tables & Graphs (p. 254) Used for (examples) Frequency Table Opinion polls Cross-Tabulation Table Sociology data, subgroups ...
15 – The Ethics of Social Research
Why Should I Care? Research projects may incur harm. This issue has to be dealt with by universities to reduce the harm, and make sure that research is designed as ethically as possible. Definitions Morals: What is right and wrong, as defined by social norm...
14 – Establishing Cause
Why Should I Care? Something is a problem. We can reduce the negative impacts, but that is called a “band-aid” solution. It does not fix the root of the problem. If only we could find the root cause of the problem, then the solution would actually fix the pro...
13 – Research Power
Why Should I Care? The scientific strength, or power, of your research depends on several key traits of your methodology. The stronger the method: the more credible your results and conclusions. 3 Levels of Power Exploratory: The objective of exploratory ...
12 – Sampling
Why Should I Care? A bad sample will kill your scientific power. That’s all there is to it. Definitions Population: A set of observable objects, which could be individuals, groups, documents, organizations, etc. that you are interested in studying. Sample:...
11 – Models and Simulations
Why Should I Care? Sometimes, you cannot operationalize. It would be too risky, not feasible, or unethical. This is when you build a model and run simulations. Definitions Model: an artificial – often simple version – environment designed to run simulations...
9 – Types of Logic
Why Should I Care? Your understanding of the problem depends on the type of logic you are using. The earthy – got your feet on the ground – scientists prefer an inductive approach. The distant – rather be in an office – scientists usually prefer a deductive a...
9 – Case Study
Why Should I Care? If you wish to study business, or any other applied field of study such as law, or medicine, much of the “how-to” knowledge comes from the accumulation of real-life events. Each “case” can help to design your playbook, which you will use to...
8 – Building a Hypothesis
Why Should I Care? How the data is gathered can affect the results, and the amount of time and resources needed to complete the project. You need to think this through before you start the project. Definitions Research Question: A broad question that guide...
7 – Measuring Variables
Why should I care? The accuracy of your project depends on whether or not you are measuring the right phenomenon. The type of measurement determines what kind of tables and calculations you can generate, and also determines how far you can go when you interpr...
6 – Due Diligence – Business Research
Research is about attitude. If you wish to find, you will find. If you give up, you will end up empty-handed. Ownership Company Legal Name, Type of Organization, Shareholders, or Administratorshttp://www.registreentreprises.gouv.qc.ca/fr/consulter/rechercher...
5 – Reviewing the Literature
Why Should I Care? Listing and summarizing previous research results allows you to set a foundation for your own research. You will know what needs to be verified, and what mistakes can be avoided. It is important to repeat the work of scientific studies to ...
4 – Grey, News, Opiniated and User-Generated Media
Why Should I Care? The sources you chose will determine the quality of your work. Bias in your sources will bias your work. Definitions Bias: A tendency to show one side of the story over any other aspects. Academic Literature: Journals publishing articles...
3 – Citing Sources
Why Should I Care? It’s so easy now to buy a paper online. Teachers and all sorts of readers know this. They don’t trust you. To convince the reader of your integrity, the least you can do is attribute the ideas in your paper to their rightful author. What’s ...
2 – How to Build Knowledge Scientifically?
Why Should I Care? How research is conducted can affect the results of a scientific project. The “Devil is in the details.” Definitions Variable: Any aspect or characteristic that varies from case to case, or over time. Empirical data: Data are sets of obs...
1 – What is Social Science?
Why Should I Care? Without science, your beliefs are based on your elders experience, on superstition, on faith and religious dogma, and personal assumptions. You might be right about many things. But you also might be wrong about a lot of things. Elements o...
What Is Marketing?
Why explain what marketing is and how it’s used? When you hear the term “marketing,” what comes to mind? Based on what you know about marketing right now, what one word would you use to describe it? Take a moment to write it down. We’ll come back to it short...