Social Research Essay -- essays research papers

AISHA GITTENS-HIPPOLYTE Taking Two Of The Theoretical Approaches To Social Research Discussed In The Module, Demonstrate The Connections Between Their Ontological, Epistemological And Methodological Assumptions. Which Method Or Methods Would Proponents Of Each Theory Favour As A Result Of Their Assumptions. In order to understand the production of sociological knowledge one must first examine the thought processes that lay behind each piece of research. Before a particular subject matter is researched, the researcher firstly makes certain assumptions about that matter. These assumptions differ dependent on the theoretical approach that is taken. They can be divided into three logical areas, namely ontology, epistemology and methodology. Sociologists researchers first make ontological assumptions. That is to say, they decide what they are studying or what should be studied. They decide what the subject matter consists of and the meanings behind it. They must consider the social reality and the nature of being, in relation to the subject matter. Having satisfied this researchers then make epistemological assumptions surrounding the subject matter. They must decide on the type of evidence to be collected, considering which evidence will deliver optimum validity. They must decide which stance to take during research, objective or neutral, considering which would be possible or even favourable. They must then think about how this can be best achieved. Should the research be classified as 'scientific' or 'unscientific' and what determines this? Based on the preceding ontological and epistemological assumptions a researcher then makes methodological assumptions. Having decided on exactly what is to be studied the researcher then decides how the research can best be managed thus formulating a plan of action. Considerations include whether the research used should be primary or secondary. Whether one will test an existing hypothesis or whether one will construct a theory after having collated evidence. Finally one can draw conclusions as to which strategy to implement with the ultimate goal of producing the type of knowledge that is required. This then results in the type of method or methods of research to be used. To investigate this further I will discuss these assumptions and identify particular methods favoured in relation to two contrasting theories, ... ...ences and to raise any questions or issues that they may have. The research must be useful, ensuring that the reasons for the research are in the best interests of the oppressed and is necessary to bring about social change. Methods The methods favoured by standpoint theorists must give voice to the concerns of the oppressed. They must be able to be representative of those groups. This links this theory to qualitative methods such as in-depth interviewing or participant observation. These methods would allow the researcher to come into close contact with the subject and allow the subject's own point of view to be heard. Other methods can be used such as questionnaires, as long as they serve a useful purpose. As long they ultimately serve to improve the lives of the oppressed. Using two theoretical approaches to social research namely, Positivism and Standpoint theory, I have demonstrated implicit connections in their respective assumptions. The ontological, epistemological and methodical assumptions are all integral facets of the understanding of social research. Once these are understood one can then draw conclusions as to which type or types of methods are appropriate to use.

Accountability Memo

MEMORANDUM Subject: Increasing of public scrutiny on not-for-profit reporting requirements The purpose of this memo is to explain why increasing scrutiny and demand for accountability by the public has influenced reporting for not-for-profit and governmental entities. State and federal regulators are reviewing, audit reports of agencies like ours that receive federal grants and loan monies. Their purpose is to â€Å"ensure that independent audit firms are in compliance with Generally Accepted Audit Standards (GAAS) and recently added requirements under Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS) or yellow book standards†.The reporting requirements that the auditor's require to be able to prepare a statement of understanding of internal control structure is of particular interest. Because we are a not-for-profit company, the auditors have to report what certain members have the clearance to report cash donations and make deposits directly to the companies bank acco unt. The auditors also need to evaluate the internal controls we have in place to prevent theft, and report the strengths and weaknesses of our system. As a result, we need to provide the auditors with access to our computer transactions for all finance members.Your cooperation is greatly appreciated in this matter and being in compliance will the auditors will help protect our interest in continuing to receive federal monies as part of our operating budget. Sincerely, References: Williams , J L (Summer 1992 . New audit standards for audits of entities receiving federal financial help . Outlook , 60 , n2 .. 51 (1 . Retrieved August 5, 2012 General One via Gale : HYPERLINK http /find . galegroup . com /ips /start . do ? prodId IPS http /find . galegroup . com /ips /start . do ? prodId IPS Steinberg , R M Johnson , R N (August 1991 . Implementing SAS no . 55

Body Modifications Are An Example Of External Cues

Impression formation begins immediately upon meeting someone or noticing him or her for the first. People make a wide range of psychological judgments every single day and every time they see some one, typically regarding a person’s traits, moods, personality, and psychological states. People typically base these judgments off of stereotypes, scripts, and other person-relevant information, which generally leads to the judgments being somewhat inaccurate. Despite this, people continue to intentionally and unintentionally use external cues to establish first impressions and opinions within the first few seconds of seeing someone for the first time, and then make perceptions about his or her potential personality and/or lifestyle. Body†¦show more content†¦The present study, conducted by Viren Swami et al. (2012), investigated how facial piercings could or could not affect ratings of physical attractiveness and intelligence. Previous research regarding this subject has had several limitations such as small samples and limited age of participants, specifically undergraduate students. The goal of the investigators in this study was to build on previous experiments and overcome previous limitations by recruiting a large, general population sample as the participants for this experiment. Researchers recruited 440 participants for this study, 230 women and 210 men, from a southern German-speaking area of Europe. All of the participants in the study were Caucasian and a majority of the participants were in a relationship, Christian, and had completed secondary education. It is also important to note that 19.8% of the sample had a body piercing other than the ear lobe. Ultimately, the researchers wanted to explore how facial piercings and observer personality affected perceptions of physical attractiveness and intelligence To discover the traits of the participants, the participants were given personality tests to discover their scores for the â€Å"Big Five† personality traits, otherwise known as openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and emotional stability. They were then asked the