Sociologists have in their arsenal and use all the variety of methods of scientific research. Let's consider the main ones:

1. Method of observation.

Observation is the direct recording of facts by an eyewitness. Unlike ordinary scientific observation, it has the following features:

subordinated to research goals and objectives;

has a plan, a procedure for collecting information;

observation data are recorded in diaries or protocols according to a certain system. Depending on the position of the observer, there are:

included (participatory) supervision;

simple observation, when social facts are recorded by an observer who is not a direct participant in the events.

2. Study of documentary sources.

Documentary in sociology refers to any information recorded in printed or handwritten text, on magnetic tape, film, photographic film, computer diskette or any other medium. Documentary sources can be classified in several ways.

in relation to the state:

official, i.e. created and approved by officially existing (registered, accredited, licensed government bodies for a certain kind activities) by organizations and individuals, as well as by government agencies themselves. Materials, resolutions, statements, minutes and transcripts of meetings, state statistics, archives of parties and organizations, financial papers, etc. can serve as official documents;

unofficial documentary sources are documents compiled by persons and organizations not authorized by the state for this type of activity;

in relation to personality:

personal, that is, directly related to a particular individual (for example, individual record cards, characteristics, questionnaires certified by a signature, diaries, letters);

impersonal, not directly related to specific person (statistical materials, press reports);

in relation to participation in registered events of the person who made the this document:

primary, i.e., compiled by a participant in the events or the first researcher of this phenomenon;

secondary documentary sources (obtained on the basis of primary ones).

It should be said about the problem of the reliability of documentary sources, which can be deliberately or unintentionally distorted. The reliability or unreliability of documentary sources is determined by:

the setting in which the document was created;

the purpose of the document.

The study of documentary sources is carried out using various techniques. One of the most common and quite simple of them is content analysis. Its essence lies in the translation of textual information into quantitative indicators, while semantic, qualitative and quantitative units are used. The content analysis technique was created by the American sociologist Harold Lasswell during World War II to objectively analyze newspaper and magazine articles for their fascist orientation. Based on content analysis in the United States, the pro-fascist position of the True American newspaper was proved, which, despite its patriotic name, conducted fascist propaganda. An illustration of the study of documentary sources using content analysis is the table below. The purpose of the study is to choose from several applicants who could fill a vacant position (Table 16).

Similar tables can be compiled on the basis of documentary sources of all applicants. The winner is the applicant who gets the largest amount points. Of course, before accepting final decision, the hiring manager should use other methods of studying applicants.

The reliability of the information obtained through the use of content analysis is provided by:

control with the help of experts;

control by an independent criterion (observation of the control group);

re-encoding text by different encoders. 3. Method of polls.

Polls are an indispensable method of obtaining information about the subjective world of people, about public opinion. The survey method, unlike the previous ones, allows one to more or less objectively model the behavior of people. If we compare it with the two previous methods we have considered, it can be noted that it eliminates such shortcomings as the length of time for collecting data by observation, the difficulty of identifying motives and, in general, internal personal attitudes by analyzing documents. However, there are certain difficulties when using the survey method. Using the survey method, you can ask the question: “How will you behave in this or that situation?”, But it should be borne in mind that when answering similar questions, people are always trying to present themselves in the most favorable light, and not at all give you objective information about their behavior.

Sociologists use various types of surveys in their research activities.

Types and technique of surveys

1. An interview is a conversation conducted according to a specific plan, involving direct contact between the interviewer and the respondent (respondent).

The equivalence of such a conversation is the so-called free interview - usually a long conversation not according to a strict plan, but according to exemplary program(interview guide).

According to the depth of insight into the essence of the problems, clinical (deep) and focused interviews are distinguished. The purpose of the first is to obtain information about the internal motives, inclinations of the respondent, the second is to find out the reaction to a given impact. According to the nature of the organization, interviews are divided into:

group, which are rarely used (for example, a group conversation with a discussion);

individual, which, in turn, are divided into personal and telephone.

2. The second type of survey is a questionnaire survey, which involves a rigidly fixed order, content and form of questions, a clear indication of the form of the answer. A questionnaire survey can be conducted either by a direct survey, which is conducted in the presence of a questionnaire, or in the form of an absentee survey.

To conduct any questionnaire survey, a questionnaire is required. What types of questions might it include?

Open question. The answer is given in free form.

Closed question. Respondents answer it either “yes” or “no”, i.e., the answer options are provided in advance.

Semi-closed question (combines the previous two).

There is also such a kind of questionnaire survey as a lightning survey (poll-vote, probing of public opinion). It is used in public opinion surveys and usually contains only 3-4 questions related to the main (of interest) information, plus several questions related to the demographic and social characteristics of the respondents.

Questionnaires are used to study the most various problems. Therefore, they are very diverse in their subject matter and content, for example:

event profiles;

aimed at clarifying value orientations;

statistical questionnaires;

timing of time budgets, etc.

It should be noted that the depth and completeness of the information reflected in the questionnaire, significantly depend on common culture and outlook of the respondent.

The reliability of information can be determined using so-called trap questions. For example, in one of the regions of Russia, during a questionnaire survey of readers, the following trap question was asked: “Did you like the book by the science fiction writer N. Yakovlev “The Long Twilight of Mars”?” And although such a book and writer does not exist, nevertheless, 10% of respondents "read" this book and most of them "did not like" it.

The English sociologist Eysenck uses the so-called "lie scale" - a series of questions that help expose insincere respondents. He imperceptibly intersperses these questions in the questionnaire. Among them are such as:

Are you completely free from all prejudices?

Do you like to brag sometimes?

Do you always answer emails?

Have you ever told a lie?

Individuals who fall into the "trap" are suspected of insincerity, and their profiles are not taken into account when processing the collected data.

Concluding the consideration of survey methods, let us dwell at least briefly on the technique of conducting them.

An ideal interview resembles a lively and relaxed conversation between two people who are equally interested in it, however, according to the English sociologist W. Good, this is a pseudo-conversation, since the interviewer acts as a professional researcher imitating the role of an equal interlocutor. His task is to collect information about his "interlocutor". To do this, he uses certain techniques.

Psychological contact with the respondent provides many advantages. Obtaining inaccessible information through a questionnaire does not provide the depth and completeness that is achieved through personal communication during an interview. On the other hand, the reliability of the data is higher in the case of a questionnaire survey.

During the interview, there is a danger of the interviewer's influence on the respondent, since the first one drives the second one to a certain type of personality and, voluntarily or involuntarily, begins to ask appropriate questions. It is necessary to strive to overcome stereotyping by playing different hypotheses of the respondent's perception.

When conducting an interview, the following simple rules should be observed:

it is best to start a conversation with a neutral topic that does not relate to the problems that will be raised in the interview;

act relaxed and natural;

do not put pressure on the respondent;

the rate of speech "adjust" to the pace of the respondent's speech;

remember that best result it turns out when the interviewer and the respondent are about the same age and of the opposite sex;

try to create an atmosphere of psychological comfort (conversation while sitting, indoors, in the absence of strangers);

it is better when the conversation is led by one, and the notes by the other; the presence of a notebook, recording equipment constrains both the respondent and the interviewer.

In its most general form, the interview algorithm may look like this:

establishing contact (introducing yourself, getting to know each other);

consolidation of contact (show the importance of the information received, interest in it; respect for the respondent);

move on to the main interview questions.

In addition to sociological research methods proper, sociology also uses other methods borrowed, for example, from psychology, such as psychological tests and sociometry. Thus, to collect the necessary information, sociology uses both sociological methods (observation, study of documents, surveys), and methods of psychology and other sciences.

With these methods sociologists collect social facts. However, sociological research does not end with the collection of information. Its next stage (phase) is the analysis of empirical data.

Analysis of empirical data

At this stage, special methods of analysis are used. These methods of analysis are:

grouping and typology of information;

search for relationships between variables;

social experiment.

Let's take a closer look at these methods.

1. Method of grouping and typology of information.

Grouping is the classification or ordering of data according to one attribute. The linking of facts into the system is carried out in accordance with the scientific hypothesis and the tasks to be solved.

For example, if you want to find out how the level of knowledge and experience affects the ability management activities people, then collected information can be grouped according to the criteria of the quality of education and term of work.

Typologization is the search for stable combinations of properties of social objects considered in several dimensions at the same time.

2. Search for relationships between variables.

This method of analysis is illustrated in specific example. Suppose, during the rationalization work in the company, certain data were collected. If you summarize them in a table, you can see a certain relationship between the percentage of participation in rationalization work (first variable) and educational level, qualifications (second variable) (Table 17).

3. Sociological experiment.

The sociological experiment is most often seen as a method of testing scientific hypothesis. For example, the famous Hawthorne experiment, when the dependence of the illumination of the workplace and labor productivity was tested (for more details, see pp. 144-145). Despite the fact that the hypothesis was not confirmed, the experiment discovered a completely new effect - the human factor of production. This is an example of the so-called natural experiment. However, it is not always possible to conduct a natural experiment. For example, no one will decide on such a method, exploring social relations operators in the liquidation of a nuclear accident. In such difficult situations, sociologists thought experiment- they operate with information about past events and predict their possible consequences.

These are the main methods sociological research and how to use them.

Questions for self-control

Name the phases of scientific research.

What requirements must a scientific hypothesis satisfy?

What does the study plan include?

What are the objective difficulties of collecting data in sociological research?

What requirements must be met scientific classification?

What is scientific explanation and verification of sociological research?

What are social facts?

List the main methods of sociological research.

What is scientific observation?

Describe the study of documentary sources as a method of sociological research.

What is content analysis?

What types of polls do you know?

What is open and closed question?

How is the accuracy of information verified in surveys?

List the main methods of conducting a survey.

What is grouping and typology of information?

Name the types of sociological experiments.

Literature

Batygin G. S. Lectures on the methodology of sociological research. M., 1995.

Voronov Yu. P. Methods of collecting information in sociological research. M., 1974.

Zdravomyslov A.G. Methodology and procedure of sociological research. M., 1969.

Ivanov V. N. Actual problems sociological research at the present stage. M., 1974.

How to conduct a sociological study / Ed. M. K. Gorshkova, F. E. Sheregi. M., 1990.

Markovich D. General sociology. Rostov, 1993. Ch. 2.

Yadov V. A. Sociological research: methodology, program, methods. M., 1988.

In total, ten main methods can be pointed out: 1) document analysis; 2) content analysis; 3) social (sociological) observation; 4) questioning; 5) interview; 6) method of expert assessments; 7) sociometric survey; 8) testing; 9) social (sociological) experiment; 10) monitoring.
Document analysis involves systematic study various sources (books, manuscripts, video and audio recordings, electronic files etc.) in order to obtain the most complete and accurate information.
The interpretation of the concept of "document" in sociology is very broad: it cannot be reduced to what is usually understood as a documentary work in the field of art:
“A document is a means of fixing in some way on a special material information about the facts of reality and the mental activity of a person. These include scientific publications, reports on previous studies, various statistical and departmental documents.
The main goal of document analysis is to study written (and similar) sources - either by traditional (qualitative) research, or on the basis of formalized (quantitative) methods, the most common of which is content analysis.
Content analysis - method quantitative research documentary information, based on the translation of the qualitative parameters of the text under study into quantitative characteristics and their subsequent processing and analysis.
"Content analysis is the translation into quantitative indicators of mass textual (or recorded on tape) information with its subsequent statistical processing."
Research using the content analysis method begins, as a rule, with the identification of the main semantic units of the text, which form the basis for working hypotheses produced by the methodological prerequisites of this study; the main goal of all formal content analysis procedures is to ensure the reliability and completeness of the social information received.
Social (sociological) observation is a method of collecting sociological data by direct study of a particular social phenomenon in its natural conditions. The main tasks of social observation as a scientific method in its sociological interpretation are formulated by V.A. Poisons:
"(a) it is subject to a clear research purpose and clearly defined objectives; (b) the observation is planned according to a premeditated program; (c) all observational data are recorded in protocols or diaries according to a certain system; (d) information obtained by observation must be subject to verification for validity and stability.”
Social observations can be classified in different ways: included and non-included (see above), controlled and uncontrolled, field and laboratory, etc. Detailed Analysis The main types of social observation will be given by us in connection with the problem of economic observation in Chapter 8 of this course.
Questioning is a method of the so-called sociological survey(“survey is a method of obtaining verbal (oral or written) information through direct or indirect interaction of the researcher with the respondents (respondents) in the form of registering answers to questions using special documents”), where the respondent fills out a special questionnaire, answering certain questions of the researcher . All these questions are in a special relationship with each other. inner unity, consistency, and as a result, analyzing the totality of all questions, the researcher receives the array of social information necessary for the working hypothesis.
An interview is a method of oral questioning, where the study takes place in the form of a special conversation (formalized or informal) between the researcher and the respondent.
“Direct contact with the interviewee and psychological relations, which are established between the interviewer and the respondent, create many advantages for obtaining information that is inaccessible through a questionnaire. Unfortunately, these same advantages turn into new difficulties. The main problem is minimizing the “disturbing” influence of the interviewer’s personality.”
During the interview, the researcher evaluates not only the answers of the respondent, but also his very attitude to the interview, which can mean a lot for the very process of sociological research.
The method of expert assessments (expert survey) is a type of survey (oral or written), where the researcher receives information from highly qualified specialists in this field of knowledge. it special type research applied mainly to complex social problems.
“The expert survey is aimed at clarifying hypotheses, developing a forecast and replenishing the interpretation of certain social phenomena and processes. In such surveys, open formulations dominate, and closed questions are intended only to assess the level of confidence, the measure of agreement or disagreement with the already expressed positions of other specialists.
One of the options for an expert survey is the so-called Delphi method (by name ancient Greek city Delphi): there is practiced repeated appeal to experts with a gradual clarification of their positions on various aspects problems with the subsequent attempt to assess also the level of agreement of experts on the most important points.
Sociometric survey is a special type of survey, where the object of research is small group. Here are analyzed interpersonal relationships within small groups and the so-called “preference connections” are revealed (members of the studied group are completely free in their contacts). The result of the study is the compilation of special matrices and graphic images showing the interaction between group members.
“The results of a sociometric survey are recorded in the form of sociomatrices (tables summarizing the preferences of group members) and sociograms (graphic images of relationships within a group).”
The sociometric method is also widely used in other sciences - psychology, ethnography, anthropology, etc.
Testing is a way of conducting research using special techniques called tests. A test is a special procedure during which the level of development or the level of expression of mental (and other) properties of an individual or group is measured. With the help of tests, you can get a real idea about the level of intelligence, abilities, awareness, nature of temperament, motivation or values ​​of the object under study. The main requirements for testing are multiple control, reliability, completeness, and flexibility.
Social experiment - in this case means a sociological study of a social process or phenomenon in artificial, specially created conditions. As a rule, it has two main tasks: practical-transformative and scientific-cognitive.
“The social experiment performs two main functions: achieving an effect in practical transformational activity and testing a scientific hypothesis. In the latter case, the experimentation procedure is entirely focused on the cognitive result. The experiment acts as the strong way testing the explanatory hypothesis. In the first case, the experiment is aimed at obtaining the practical effect of controlling some processes. Cognitive outcomes are here a by-product of the managerial effect.
It is dangerous to confuse the experimental search for effective management techniques with what we usually call best practices. Innovations generally do not belong to the field of scientific experimentation, but to the field of practical application of innovations.
Monitoring is a special type of observation (in this case, social observation), in which control is carried out so that social processes or phenomena are within certain parameters that do not exceed specified limits (going beyond these limits can become socially dangerous or even lead to social conflicts or disaster). Monitoring can be carried out in relation to various processes economic, political, environmental, demographic and other nature: for example, economic monitoring - this can be control over the level of prices, incomes, unemployment, etc.
Thus, sociological research methods are very effective as methods of social research and as a result provide very reliable information about the social world. A significant part of these methods can be successfully applied in economics, especially as methods for collecting primary economic information. However, the economy is still mostly focused on theoretical analysis and on theoretical methods studies of social reality (analysis, synthesis, deduction, induction, analogy, etc.). It is these methods that should become the main object of methodological reflection in modern economic knowledge.

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The concept of method in sociology

The next component of the methodological part of the program is the substantiation of the main methods sociological research that they will be used in the process of sociological analysis of a specific social problem. To choose a method of collecting sociological information, emphasizes S. Vovkanych, means to choose one or another way of obtaining new social information to complete the task. The word "method" comes from the Greek. - "the way to something." AT method of sociology is a way to get reliable sociological knowledge, a set of applied techniques, procedures and operations of empirical and theoretical knowledge social reality.

At the level of everyday ideas of ordinary people, sociology is associated primarily with the conduct of questioning. In fact, however, a sociologist may use such diverse research procedures as experiment, observation, document analysis, expert assessments, sociometry, interviews etc.

Rules for defining methods

As Russian sociologists rightly point out, when determining the methods of sociological research of a social problem, a number of significant points should be taken into account:

Efficiency and economy of research should not be achieved at the expense of data quality;

None of the methods is universal and has its own clearly defined cognitive capabilities. Therefore, there are no "good" or "bad" methods at all; e methods that are adequate or inadequate (that is, suitable and inappropriate) for the goal and objectives;

The reliability of the method is ensured not only by its validity, but also by compliance with the rules for its application.

Submitting further a more detailed description of the main methods of obtaining sociological information, we chose from them those that most correspond to the disclosure of the causes of conflicts at the enterprise between workers and administration. It is these methods that should be included in the programs of sociological research; they should be used in accordance with the goals and objectives of the study. They should be the basis for testing the correctness or falsity of the hypotheses put forward.

Among the methods of collecting primary sociological information, there are also those that are not specifically sociological. it observation and experiment. they have their roots in the natural sciences, but at present they are successfully used in the social and humanitarian sciences, including sociology.

Method of observation in sociology

Observation in sociology - this is a method of purposeful, systematic, fixed in a certain way the perception of the object that is being studied. It serves certain cognitive purposes and can be subjected to control and verification. Most often, the method of observation is used in the study of the behavior of individuals and groups and forms of communication, that is, with the visual coverage of a certain social action. It can be used in the study of conflict situations, because many of them manifest themselves precisely in actions and events that can be recorded and analyzed. positive traits of this method are:

Implementation of observation simultaneously with the deployment and development of phenomena, they are investigated;

Possibility direct perception human behavior in specific conditions and in real time;

The possibility of a wide coverage of the event and a description of the interaction of all its participants;

Independence of the actions of the objects of observation from the sociologist-observer. To shortcomings of the observation method include:

The limited and partial nature of each situation that is observed. This means that the findings can only be generalized and extended to larger situations with great care;

Difficulty, and sometimes simply the impossibility of repeated observations. Social processes are irreversible, they cannot be forced to repeat again for the needs of the sociologist;

Impact on the quality of primary sociological information subjective assessments the observer, his attitudes, stereotypes, etc.

Observation types

Exists several types of observation in sociology. the most popular among modern researchers - included surveillance, when the sociologist enters directly into the social process and social group, that they are studied, when he contacts and acts together with those whom he observes. This allows you to explore the phenomenon from the inside, to delve deeply into the essence of the problem (in our case, the conflict), to understand the reasons for its occurrence and aggravation. Field observation occurs in natural conditions: in workshops, services, construction, etc. Laboratory observation requires the creation of specially equipped premises. There are systematic and random observations, structural (that is, such that they are carried out according to a plan developed in advance) and non-structural (for which only the object of the survey is determined).

Method of experiment in sociology

Experiment as a method of research developed primarily in natural science. L. Zhmud believes that the first experiment recorded in the scientific literature belongs to the ancient philosopher and scientist Pythagoras (c. 580-500 BC). He used a monochord - an instrument with one string stretched over a ruler with 12 marks - in order to find out the relationship between the pitch of a musical tone and the length of the string. Thanks to this experiment, Pythagoras invented mathematical description harmonic musical intervals: octaves (12:c), quarts (12:9) and fifths (12:8). V. Grechikhin is of the opinion that the first scientist who put the experiment on scientific basis, was Galileo Galilei (1564-1642), one of the founders of exact natural science. Based scientific experiments he came to the conclusion about the correctness of the teachings of M. Copernicus about the structure of the universe. Sentenced by the Inquisition, G. Galileo exclaimed: "And yet it rotates!", referring to the rotation of the Earth around the Sun and around its own axis.

The idea of ​​the possibility of using the experiment in the social sciences was put forward by the French scientist P.-S. Laplace (1749-1827) 1814 in the book "The Philosophical Experience of Probability". In the study of society, in his opinion, it is possible to apply such methods of the probabilistic approach as sampling, creating parallel control groups etc. Therefore, it is possible to develop methods quantitative description society and social problems and phenomena.

Discussion around the experimental method

However, V. Comte, E. Durkheim, M. Weber and others denied attempts to use the experimental method in the study of social problems. In their opinion, main difficulties The use of experiment in sociology are:

Complexity, multifactoriality and diversity of social processes;

Difficulties, and even impossibility of their formalization and quantitative description;

The integrity and consistency of dependencies, the difficulty of clearly elucidating the effect of any one factor on a social phenomenon;

The mediation of external influences through the human psyche;

The inability to provide an unambiguous interpretation of the behavior of a person or a social community, etc.

However, since the 1920s, the scope of experiment in the social sciences has gradually expanded. It is associated with rapid growth empirical research, improvement of examination procedures, development mathematical logic, statistics and probability theory. Now the experiment is right for recognized methods sociological research.

scope, purpose and logic of the experiment

An experiment in sociology - this is a means of obtaining information about quantitative and qualitative changes in the performance and behavior of an object as a result of the impact on it of certain factors (variables) that can be controlled and controlled. As V. Grechikhin notes, the use of an experiment in sociology is advisable when it is necessary to perform tasks related to the response of a particular social group to internal and external factors that are introduced from the outside in artificially created and controlled conditions. the main objective its implementation is a test of certain hypotheses, the results of which have direct access to practice, to a variety of management decisions.

General the logic of the experiment consists in:

Selecting a specific experimental group;

Placed her in an unusual experimental situation, under the influence of a certain factor;

Tracking the direction, magnitude and constancy of variables, which are called control and occurred due to the action of the introduced factor.

Varieties of experiments

Among varieties of experiment can be called field (when the group is in the natural conditions of its functioning) and laboratory (when the experimental situation and groups are artificially formed). There are also experiments linear (when the same group is analyzed) and parallel (when two groups participate in the experiment: a control group with constant characteristics and an experimental group with changed characteristics). According to the nature of the object and the subject of research, sociological, economic, legal, socio-psychological, pedagogical and other experiments are distinguished. According to the specifics of the task, experiments are divided into scientific (they are aimed at increasing knowledge) and applied (they are aimed at obtaining a practical effect). By the nature of the experimental situation, there are controlled experiments and those where control is not exercised.

In our case, with a conflict situation in production, it is possible to carry out an applied field controlled experiment with the selection of two groups of workers according to the age criterion. This experiment will reveal the dependence of labor productivity on the age of workers. Its implementation will show whether the dismissal of young workers is justified due to insufficient production experience and lower performance indicators than middle-aged workers.

Document analysis method

Method document analysis in sociology is one of the mandatory ones, with which almost all research begins. Documents are divided into statistical (in numerical terms) and verbal (in text form); official (of an official nature) and informal (which do not have official confirmation of their correctness and effectiveness), public and personal etc.

In our case, we can use official statistical and verbal documents of public importance, which record data on sexual and age structure employees, their level of education, professional training, marital status, etc., as well as the results of production activities various groups workers. Comparison of these documents makes it possible to establish the dependence of the economic efficiency of workers on their socio-demographic, professional and other characteristics.

Surveys and its scope

The most widespread and frequent in sociology is the method interview. It covers the use of research procedures such as questionnaires, mail surveys, and interviews. A survey is a method of direct or indirect collection of primary verbal (i.e., transmitted in verbal form) information. There are correspondence and direct, standardized (according to a pre-developed plan) and non-standardized (free), one-time and multiple surveys, as well as expert surveys.

The polling method is used in such cases:

When the problem that it is being investigated is not sufficiently provided with documentary sources of information (for example, conflict situations at an enterprise are rarely recorded in a systematic form in official documentation);

When the subject of research or its individual characteristics cannot be observed in in full and throughout the existence of this phenomenon (for example, it is possible to observe a conflict situation predominantly in the moment of its exacerbation, and not at the beginning of its occurrence);

When the subject of research is the elements of collective and individual consciousness - thoughts, stereotypes of thinking, etc., and not direct actions and behavior (for example, in the event of a conflict, you can monitor its behavioral manifestations, but it will not give an idea of ​​the motives for people's participation in the conflict , their reasoning about the legitimacy of the actions of both sides of the conflict);

When the survey complements the ability to describe and analyze the studied phenomena and checks the data obtained using other methods.

Questionnaire

Among the types of surveys, a prominent place is occupied by questioning, the main instrument of which is a questionnaire, or questionnaire. At first glance, there is nothing easier and simpler than the development of a questionnaire on any topic related to the problem situation. Each of us in everyday practice constantly asks questions to others, solving many life problem situations with their help. However, in sociology, the question performs the function of a research tool, which puts forward special requirements for its formulation and the reduction of questions into a questionnaire.

Questionnaire structure

First of all, these are the requirements for questionnaire structure, its components should be:

1. Introduction (appeal to respondents with a summary of the topic, purpose, tasks of the survey, the name of the organization or service that carries it out, with instructions on the procedure for filling out the questionnaire, with reference to the anonymity of the survey and the use of its results only for scientific purposes).

2. Blocks of simple questions, neutral in content (except for the cognitive purpose, they provide easier entry of respondents into the survey process, arouse their interest, form psychological attitude for cooperation with researchers, introduce them into the circle of discussed problems).

3. Blocks of more complex questions that require analysis and reflection, memory activation, increased concentration and attention. It is here that the core of the study is contained, the main primary sociological information is collected.

4. Final questions that should be quite simple, relieve the psychological tension of the respondents, enable them to feel that they took part in important and necessary work.

5. "Passport", or a block with questions that reveal socio-demographic, vocational, educational, ethnic, cultural and other characteristics of respondents (gender, age, marital status, place of residence, nationality, native language, attitude to religion, education, professional training, place of work , work experience, etc.).

Questionnaire blocks

The questionnaire questions are combined into blocks according to the thematic and problematic principle based on the "tree" and "branches" of interpretation of the main concepts (see the description of the methodological part of the program in Part 1 of the sociological workshop). In our case, the block that concerns the socio-demographic and other personal characteristics of workers and managers should be placed in the "passport", while other blocks are placed in the main part of the questionnaire. These are blocks:

Attitude to work and results of production activities;

The level of social activity;

Level of awareness;

Assessment of the quality of planning;

Evaluation of the organization, content and working conditions;

Characteristics of living conditions;

Characteristics of the causes of the conflict;

Finding out possible ways to resolve the conflict, etc.

Requirements for substantive questions of the questionnaire

There are also requirements for meaningful questions of the questionnaire, formulated by N. Panina as follows.

1. Validity (validity), that is, the degree of compliance of the questions of the questionnaire with the indicator that is being investigated and completes the operationalization of the concept (see the previous part of the workshop). In this case, you should be careful about transition from operational levels to the formulation of questions in the questionnaire. For example, sometimes the conflict between workers and managers flares up due to the lack of timely supply of raw materials or semi-finished products. The following questions should then be included in the questionnaire:

"is raw materials/semi-finished products delivered to your workplace on time?";

"If raw materials / semi-finished products are delivered to your workplace on time, then who is responsible for this:

The workers themselves;

supply services;

Sophistical enterprise center;

Transportation Department;

Workshop management;

Enterprise management;

Who else (specify yourself) ____________________________________________

Hard to say;

No answer".

2. conciseness, or a summary of the survey questions. N. Panina rightly points out: every researcher understands what longer have a question, more difficult respondent to understand its content. She adds that experiments in the field of interpersonal communication have established: for most people 11-13 words in a question is the limit of phrase comprehension without significant distortion of its main content.

3. unambiguity, that is, the same understanding by all respondents of exactly the meaning of the question that the researcher put into it. Most frequent error in this sense is the inclusion in the question of several questions at the same time. For example: "What are the main causes of the conflict between workers and management at your enterprise and what measures can help to resolve this conflict?". It must be remembered that only one thought or statement should be formulated in the question.

Open questions

Question entered in the questionnaire, are divided into different types. It can be open questions, when the researcher asks questions and leaves space for the respondent's handwritten response. For example:

"Please indicate what, in your opinion, are the main causes of the conflict between the workers and the administration of your enterprise?"

(space for answer)

Advantage open questions is that they are easy to formulate and that they do not limit the choice of answers that the researcher can provide. Complexity and difficulties arise when it is necessary to process all possible answers and group them according to a certain criterion after receiving sociological information.

Closed questions and their varieties

Closed questions - these are those for which the questionnaire contains, to the best of its ability, a complete set of answer options, and the respondent only has to indicate the option that corresponds to his opinion. Alternative closed questions require respondents to choose only one answer, resulting in the sum of the answers to all options is 100%. For example:

"How do you perform production tasks?"

1. Of course, I overfulfill the production rate (7%).

2. Of course, I fulfill the production rate (43%).

3. Sometimes I do not fulfill the production norms (33%).

4. Practically it is not possible to fulfill production norms (17%).

As you can see, the sum of the answers in percent is 100. Non-alternative closed questions allow respondents to choose several answers to the same question, so their sum preferably exceeds 100%. For example:

What factors do you think are the causes of conflict situation in your workforce?"

1. Factors related to gender and age of workers (44%).

2. Factors related to the marital status of workers (9%).

3. Factors related to the attitude of workers to work (13%).

4. Factors related to poor quality planning (66%).

5. Factors associated with imperfect organization of labor on the part of the administration (39%).

As you can see, the sum of the answers in percentage significantly exceeds 100 and indicates the complex nature of the causes of conflicts in the enterprise.

Semi-closed questions - this is their form when all possible answers are listed first, and at the end they leave room for the respondent's own written answers, if he believes that none of the given answers reflects his thoughts. In other words, semi-closed questions are a combination of open and closed questions in one.

Question posting forms

Linear form placement of questions involves their wording and hovering below the possible answers, as in the examples given earlier. You can also use at the same time tabular form posting questions and answers. For example: "In your opinion, how have the organization, content and conditions of your work changed during your work at this enterprise?"

There is also such a form of placing questions, which is based on using the scale. For example: "One group of people believes that the main cause of the conflict in the enterprise is the personal characteristics of employees. This thought corresponds to mark 1 on the scale below. Another group of people is convinced that conflicts are due to socio-economic and organizational reasons due to the unsatisfactory performance of the administration. This thought corresponds to a mark of 7 on the scale. What position corresponds to your opinion and where would you place it on this scale?

The responses received give average scores opinions of respondents that can be compared (for example, the average score of workers' answers can be 6.3, and representatives of the administration - 1.8). That is, according to the workers, the causes of conflicts with the administration are not in their personal characteristics, but are caused by the unsatisfactory work of the management personnel in planning production activities, organizing labor, etc. The opinion of representatives of the administration in this case is the opposite: in their opinion, conflicts arise because workers do not perform production tasks through low level their qualifications, education, insufficient production experience, systematic absenteeism, etc.

From this, the researcher can make the following assumptions:

There is a different understanding of the causes of conflict situations;

There is a tendency to shift the blame for the conflict situation from oneself to others;

Given this, there is a need to explore the origins of conflict situations at this enterprise using other methods of sociological research: experiment, observation, document analysis, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions to obtain reliable sociological information.

Questionnaire coding rules

When the questionnaire is compiled, it is necessary to encode all the questions and answers contained in it, bearing in mind the further processing of the information received on the computer. For this, they usually choose three-digit code. For example, the first question of the questionnaire receives the digital mark 001, and the answer options for it (if there are five of them) are encoded with the numbers 002, 003, 004, 005, 006. Then the next question will receive the number 007, and the answers to it will be encoded by digital numbers that are more distant in order designations 008,009,010 etc. In the case of using a tabular form for placing questions in the questionnaire, it is worth making sure that each position of the answer has its own code. That is the basic principle coding is to ensure that all questions and answers (together with possible answers to open questions) have their own corresponding code.

Qualitative methods of sociological research

Questionnaire is the most common quantitative method obtaining sociological information. However, in sociology there are other, so-called quality methods. American sociologists A. Strause and J. Corbin, in their book on the foundations of qualitative research, understand it as any kind of research in which data is obtained in non-statistical or non-similar ways. They believe that qualitative methods well suited for research into the life histories and behavior of individuals, organizations, social movements or interactive relationships. Scholars give the example of a study that attempts to uncover the nature of subjective experience associated with phenomena such as illness, religious conversion, or drug addiction.

A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods

Areas of application of qualitative methods

At the same time, there are many such areas of research that, by their very nature, are more suitable for quality types analysis. Researchers use them when little is known about a particular phenomenon. their importance is great for research within the framework of the whole interpretive paradigm. So, currently popular are conversational analysis within the framework of symbolic interactionism or qualitative study of the meaning of spiritual interactions (phenomenological sociology). Qualitative methods can provide a clearer picture of the intricate details of a phenomenon that are difficult to obtain with quantitative methods.

Interview as a method of qualitative sociological research

The two most common qualitative methods are interview and focus group discussion (hereinafter FCD). Interview refers to the survey methods of qualitative sociology and is briefly referred to as a way of obtaining information using an oral survey (conversation). Russian sociologists consider interviews to be the second most popular method of empirical sociology after questionnaires. The essence of the interview consists in the fact that a conversation takes place according to a pre-planned plan, which involves direct contact between the interviewer (i.e., a specially trained sociologist-performer) and the respondent (the person with whom the researcher conducts this conversation), during which the first scrupulously registers the answers of the second.

Comparing the two most popular methods in sociology - quantitative questioning and qualitative interviewing - Russian scientists determine the advantages and disadvantages of the latter.

Advantages and disadvantages of an interview

The interview is ahead of the survey according to the following parameters:

There are practically no unanswered questions;

Vague or inconsistent answers can be clarified;

Observation of the respondent ensures the fixation of both verbal responses and his immediate non-verbal reactions, which enriches sociological information by receiving and taking into account the emotions and feelings of the respondents.

As a result of the foregoing, the sociological data obtained through interviews are more complete, deep, versatile and reliable compared to a survey, where there is no live dialogue between the researcher and the respondent, since the contact is mediated by the questionnaire.

The main limitations interviewing methods are that it can be used to interview a very small number of respondents, and the number of interviewers should be as large as possible, in addition, they require special education. Added to this is a significant investment of time and money, especially for training interviewers, because different types of interviews require different sets of knowledge and skills.

Types of interview

Russian researchers highlight three typological groups according to criteria such as the degree of standardization of questions, the number of topics discussed and the number of respondents. In turn, they all have intra-group varieties. If the criterion is degree of standardization, the interview is divided into:

1. formalized (conversation according to a detailed program, questions, answer options).

2. semi-structured (when researchers identify only the main questions around which the conversation unfolds with the spontaneous inclusion of previously unplanned questions).

3. informal (that is, a longer conversation on general program but no specific questions).

that number, what is being discussed can be highlighted focused (an in-depth discussion of one topic) and unfocused (talk around various topics) interview. And finally, depending on number of respondents stand out individual (or personal) interview with one interviewee face to face, without outside presence, and group interview (that is, a conversation of one interviewer with several people).

Focus group discussion

Group interviews in the form of a focus group quickly emerged as a separate research method in qualitative sociology. D. Stewart and P. Shamdesani believe that they were the first to use a focused interview. which over time was reformatted into a modern focus group discussion, G. Merton and P. Lazarsfeld in 1941 to study the effectiveness of the radio. The essence of the FOM method consists in organizing a group discussion around several related and predetermined questions (no more than 10 in number) in accordance with a predetermined plan, which is conducted by a moderator. Optimal quantity FGD participants are evaluated differently by different scientists: foreign studies this kind usually involves from 6 to 10 people, their number can reach 12, but not more. Due

By this, Russian sociologists believe that the group should not be too large, because then it will become uncontrollable, or the discussion will unfold only between individual participants. At the same time, the group should not be too small to be different from an interview with one person, because the essence of the method is to identify and compare several points of view on the same range of issues. AT one study (as in our case with a conflict situation at the enterprise) 2 to 6 focus group discussions are held. The focus group lasts no more than 1.5-2 hours. For our study, it is advisable to create at least

4 focus groups, which include representatives of the conflicting parties (employees and representatives of the administration), representatives of the trade union or public organization etc. S. Grigoriev and Yu. Rastov formulate a rule: people with different views on the issues that are submitted for discussion should be invited to the same group. The moderator manages the conversation-discussion, which takes place in an arbitrary form, but according to a specific scheme. The process of conducting FGD is recorded on videotape with its subsequent processing, resulting in FOM result - the text of the entire discussion (or transcript).

Rationale for methods

A sociological research program is considered complete when it contains not only a simple list of methods for collecting primary sociological information, but also justification their choice; the connection between the methods of collecting information and the goals, objectives and hypotheses of the study was demonstrated. For example, if survey method, then it is advisable to indicate in the program that in order to solve such and such a problem and confirm such and such a hypothesis, such and such a block of questions of the questionnaire was produced. In our case, it would be appropriate to use various methods research of a conflict situation: observation, experiment, document analysis, survey, etc.; their application will make it possible to analyze various parties conflict situation in all its complexity, eliminate one-sidedness in assessing the conflict, deeply clarify the essence of the reasons that led to its occurrence, possible ways to solve the problem.

Sociological information processing programs

It is also necessary to indicate in the program which computer programs will be used to process the primary sociological information. For example, in the case of a survey, computer processing of the information received can be carried out using two programs:

Ukrainian OCA program (i.e. software processing of sociological questionnaires compiled by A. Gorbachik, which now exists in several versions. This program was developed on the basis of the Kyiv international institute sociology at the University "Kyiv-Mohyla Academy" and it can be considered quite sufficient for the primary processing of the data obtained);

The American program SPSS (i.e., the statistical program for the social sciences. It is used in cases where it is necessary to carry out a deeper analysis of data, mainly by professional sociologists).

Sociological research is a kind of system of organizational and technical procedures, thanks to which you can get scientific knowledge about social phenomena. It is a system of theoretical and empirical procedures that are collected in the methods of sociological research.

Research types

Before proceeding to consider the main methods of sociological research, it is worth examining their varieties. B is divided by three large groups: by goals, by duration and depth of analysis.

According to the goals, sociological research is divided into fundamental and applied. Fundamental determine and study social trends and patterns of social development. The results of these studies help solve complex problems. In turn, applied studies study specific objects and solve certain problems that are not of a global nature.

All methods of sociological research differ from each other in their duration. Yes, there are:

• Long-term studies that last more than 3 years.
• Medium-term validity period from six months to 3 years.
• Short-term last from 2 to 6 months.
• Express studies are carried out very quickly - from 1 week to 2 months maximum.

Also, studies are distinguished by their depth, while dividing into search, descriptive and analytical.

Exploratory research is considered the simplest, they are used when the subject of research has not yet been studied. They have a simplified toolkit and program, most often used in the preliminary stages of more large-scale research to set guidelines about what and where to collect information.

Through descriptive research, scientists gain a holistic view of the phenomena being studied. They are carried out based on full program chosen method of sociological research, using detailed tools and a large number of people for conducting surveys.

Analytical studies describe social phenomena and the reasons for their occurrence.

About methodology and methods

Reference books often contain such a concept as methodology and methods of sociological research. For those who are far from science, it is worth explaining one fundamental difference between them. Methods are methods of using organizational and technical procedures designed to collect sociological information. Methodology is the totality of all possible methods research. Thus, the methodology and methods of sociological research can be considered related concepts, but by no means identical.

All methods that are known in sociology can be divided into two large groups: methods that are designed to collect data, and those that are responsible for their processing.

In turn, the methods of sociological research responsible for collecting data are divided into quantitative and qualitative. Qualitative methods help the scientist understand the essence of the phenomenon that has occurred, while quantitative methods show how massively it has spread.

To the family quantitative methods sociological research include:

• Poll.
• Content analysis of documents.
• Interview.
• observation.
• Experiment.

Qualitative methods of sociological research are focus groups, case studies. It also includes unstructured interviews and ethnographic research.

As for the methods of analysis of sociological research, they include all kinds of statistical methods, such as ranking or scaling. To be able to apply statistics, sociologists use special software such as OCA or SPSS.

opinion poll

The first and main method of sociological research is considered to be a social survey. A survey is a method of collecting information about an object under study during a survey or interview.

With the help of a sociological survey, you can get information that is not always displayed in documentary sources or cannot be noticed during the experiment. A survey is resorted to when the necessary and only source of information is a person. Verbal information obtained through this method is considered more reliable than any other. It is easier to analyze and turn into quantitative indicators.

Another advantage of this method is that it is universal. During the interview, the interviewer records the motives and results of the individual's activities. This allows you to get the information that is not able to give any of the methods of sociological research. In sociology, such a concept as the reliability of information is of great importance - this is when the respondent gives the same answers to the same questions. However, under different circumstances, a person can answer in different ways, so how the interviewer knows how to take into account all conditions and influence them is of great importance. It is necessary to maintain in a stable state as many factors that affect reliability as possible.

Each begins with an adaptation phase, when the respondent receives a certain motivation to answer. This phase consists of a greeting and the first few questions. The content of the questionnaire, its purpose and the rules for completing it are explained to the respondent beforehand. The second stage is the achievement of the goal, that is, the collection of basic information. During the survey, especially if the questionnaire is very long, the respondent's interest in the task may fade. Therefore, the questionnaire often uses questions whose content is interesting for the subject, but may be absolutely useless for research.

The last stage of the poll is the completion of the work. At the end of the questionnaire, easy questions are usually written, most often this role is played by the demographic map. This method helps to relieve tension, and the respondent will be more loyal to the interviewer. After all, as practice shows, if you do not take into account the condition of the subject, then the majority of respondents refuse to answer questions already in the middle of the questionnaire.

Content analysis of documents

Sociological research methods also include the analysis of documents. In terms of popularity, this technique is second only to opinion polls, but in some areas of research, it is content analysis that is considered the main one.

Content analysis of documents is widespread in the sociology of politics, law, civil movements, etc. Very often, by examining documents, scientists derive new hypotheses, which are later tested by a survey method.

A document is a means of assuring information about facts, events or phenomena. objective reality. When using documents, it is worth considering the experience and traditions of a particular field, as well as related humanities. During the analysis, it is necessary to be critical of the information, this will help to correctly assess its objectivity.

Documents are classified according to different features. Depending on the ways of fixing information, they are divided into written, phonetic, iconographic. If we take into account the authorship, then the documents are official and personal origin. Motives also influence the creation of documents. So, provoked and unprovoked materials are distinguished.

Content analysis is the precise study of the content of a text array in order to determine or measure the social trends described in these arrays. This is a specific method of scientific and cognitive activity and sociological research. It is best used when there is a large amount of unorganized material; if the text cannot be examined without total scores or when needed high level accuracy.

For example, literary critics have been trying for a very long time to establish which of the finals of the "Mermaid" belongs to Pushkin. With the help of content analysis and special computing programs, it was possible to establish that only one of them belongs to the author. Scientists made this conclusion, basing their opinion on the fact that each writer has his own style. The so-called frequency dictionary, i.e. specific repetition various words. Having compiled the writer's dictionary and comparing it with the frequency dictionary of all possible endings, we found out that it was the original version of "Mermaid" that was identical frequency dictionary Pushkin.

The main thing in content analysis is to correctly identify semantic units. They can be words, phrases and sentences. Analyzing documents in this way, a sociologist can easily understand the main trends, changes and predict further development in a particular social segment.

Interview

Another method of sociological research is the interview. It means personal communication between the sociologist and the respondent. The interviewer asks questions and records the answers. The interview can be direct, that is, face to face, or indirect, such as by phone, mail, online, etc.

According to the degree of freedom, interviews are:

• Formalized. In this case, the sociologist always clearly follows the research program. In the methods of sociological research, this method is often used in indirect surveys.
• Semi-formalized. Here, the order of the questions and their wording may change depending on how the conversation is going.
• Unformalized. Interviews can be conducted without questionnaires, depending on the course of the conversation, the sociologist chooses questions himself. This method is used in pilot or expert interviews when it is not necessary to compare the results of the work done.

Depending on who is the carrier of information, polls are:

• Mass. Here the main sources of information are representatives of various social groups.
• Specialized. When only people who are knowledgeable in a particular survey are interviewed, which allows you to get completely authoritative answers. This survey is often referred to as an expert interview.

In short, the method of sociological research (in a particular case, interviews) is a very flexible tool for collecting primary information. Interviews are indispensable if you need to study phenomena that cannot be observed from the outside.

Observation in sociology

This is a method of purposeful fixation of information about the object of perception. In sociology, scientific and ordinary observation are distinguished. Character traits scientific research - purposefulness and regularity. scientific observation subordinate specific purposes and carried out according to a prearranged plan. The researcher records the results of the observation and controls their stability. There are three main features of observation:

1. The method of sociological research assumes that the knowledge of social reality is closely connected with the personal preferences of the scientist and his value orientations.
2. The sociologist emotionally perceives the object of observation.
3. It is difficult to repeat the observation, since objects are always subject to various factors that change them.

Thus, when observing, the sociologist faces a number of difficulties of a subjective nature, since he interprets what he sees through the prism of his judgments. With regard to objective problems, here we can say the following: not all social facts can be observed, all observable processes are limited in time. Therefore, this method is used as an additional method for collecting sociological information. Observation is used if you need to deepen your knowledge or when it is impossible to obtain the necessary information by other methods.

The monitoring program consists of the following steps:

1. Definition of goals and objectives.
2. The choice of the type of observation that most accurately meets the tasks.
3. Identification of the object and subject.
4. Selecting a data capture method.
5. Interpretation of the received information.

Types of observation

Each specific method sociological observation is classified according to various features. The observation method is no exception. According to the degree of formalization, it is divided into structured and not structured. That is, those that are carried out according to a pre-planned plan and spontaneously, when only the object of observation is known.

According to the position of the observer, experiments of this kind are included and not included. In the first case, the sociologist takes direct involvement in the object under study. For example, contacts with the subject or participates with the studied subjects in one activity. When observation is not included, the scientist simply watches how events unfold and fixes them. According to the venue and conditions of observation, there are field and laboratory. For the laboratory, candidates are specially selected and some kind of situation is played out, and in the field, the sociologist simply watches how individuals act in their natural environment. There are also observations systematic, when carried out repeatedly to measure the dynamics of change, and random(i.e. disposable).

Experiment

For sociological research methods, the collection of primary information plays a paramount role. But it is not always possible to observe a certain phenomenon or find respondents who have been in specific social conditions. So sociologists start experimenting. This specific method is based on the fact that the researcher and the subject interact in an artificially created environment.

An experiment is used when it is necessary to test hypotheses regarding the causes of certain social phenomena. Researchers compare two phenomena, where one has a hypothetical cause of the change, and the second does not. If, under the influence of certain factors, the subject of the study acts as previously predicted, then the hypothesis is considered proven.

Experiments happen research and confirming. Research helps to determine the cause of the occurrence of certain phenomena, and confirming ones establish how true these reasons are.

Before conducting an experiment, a sociologist must have all the necessary information about the research problem. First you need to formulate the problem and define key concepts. Next, designate the variables, in particular external ones, which can significantly affect the course of the experiment. Particular attention should be paid to the selection of subjects. That is, take into account the characteristics population, modeling it in a reduced format. Experimental and control subgroups should be equivalent.

During the experiment, the researcher provides direct influence on the experimental subgroup, while the control subgroup is not affected. The resulting differences are independent variables, from which new hypotheses are subsequently derived.

Focus group

Among the qualitative methods of sociological research, focus groups have long been in the first place. This method of obtaining information helps to obtain reliable data without requiring lengthy preparation and significant time costs.

To conduct a study, it is necessary to select from 8 to 12 people who were not previously familiar with each other, and appoint a moderator, the one who will conduct a dialogue with those present. All participants in the study should be familiar with the research problem.

A focus group is a discussion of a specific social problem, product, phenomenon, etc. The main task of the moderator is not to let the conversation come to naught. It should encourage participants to express their opinion. To do this, he asks leading questions, quotes or shows videos, asking for comments. At the same time, each of the participants must express their opinion without repeating the remarks that have already been made.

The whole procedure lasts approximately 1-2 hours, is recorded on video, and after the participants leave, the received material is reviewed, data is collected and interpreted.

case study

Method No. 2 of sociological research in modern science These are cases, or special cases. It originated in the Chicago School in the early twentieth century. Literally translated from English, case study means "case analysis". This is a kind of research, where the object is specific phenomenon, occasion or historical figure. Researchers pay close attention to them in order to be able to predict the processes that may take place in society in the future.

There are three main approaches to this method:

1. Nomothetic. A single phenomenon is reduced to a general one, the researcher compares what happened with the norm and concludes how likely the mass distribution of this phenomenon is.
2. Ideographic. The singular is considered unique, the so-called exception to the rule, which cannot be repeated in any social environment.
3. Integrated. The essence of this method is that during the analysis the phenomenon is considered as unique and as general, this helps to find the features of the pattern.

Ethnographic research

Ethnographic research plays a significant role in the study of society. The main principle is the naturalness of data collection. The essence of the method is simple: the closer to Everyday life there will be a research situation, the more real the results will be obtained after the collection of materials.

The task of researchers who work with ethnographic data is to describe in detail the behavior of individuals under certain conditions and to give them semantic load.

The ethnographic method is represented by a kind of reflective approach, in the center of which is the researcher himself. He studies materials that are informal and contextual. These can be diaries, notes, stories, newspaper clippings, etc. On their basis, the sociologist must create detailed description life world of the studied public. This method of sociological research makes it possible to obtain new ideas for research from theoretical data that were not previously taken into account.

It depends on the problem of study which method of sociological research the scientist chooses, but if this is not found, a new one can be created. Sociology is a young science that is still developing. Every year there are more and more new methods of studying society, which make it possible to predict its further development and, as a result, prevent the inevitable.

Sociological research as a means of cognition of social reality.

Toolkit: "Organization and conduct of sociological research" (Mg., 2009) - p.3-12

Methods of collection and analysis of sociological information.

Methodological guide: "Sociological research: methodology, program, methods" (Mg., 2008).

Selective method.

Methodological guide: "Organization and conduct of sociological research" (Mg., 2009); Methodological guide: "Sociological research: methodology, program, methods" (Mg., 2008).

The program of sociological research and its structure.

Methodological guide: "Organization and conduct of sociological research" (Mg., 2009).

Methodology of sociological research

Sociology for its research uses general scientific methods, such as analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, systems approach and etc.

In addition, sociology has developed its own specific methods research:

observation; study of documentary sources; interview; testing; sociometry; social experiment.

Methodology sociological research answers the question how to do research by what methods. Compliance with the requirements of the methodology ensures scientific level research. The first thing a sociologist starts with is programming. The program sets out substantiation of the problem research, formulated goals, tasks and working hypotheses research, determined object of study, sample and methods of conducting research. It also contains work plan research and processing program received information. Working hypotheses are scientists' assumptions about possible patterns phenomena being studied. Hypotheses are of two types: essential and factorial. Essential hypotheses reveal the content of the studied phenomena. Factorial hypotheses are assumptions about the causes of the phenomena under study, about the factors affecting the dynamics of the processes under study.

Exist survey methods observation, document analysis, statistics, social experiment, social modeling. Object of study is something community, which, according to the goals, interests the sociologist. If studied public opinion population of the republic on any issue, then the object will be the adult population. In a sociological study, as a rule, not the entire population is polled, but only a part of it, which is called sampling. So, sample- this is the part of the general population, which consists of specific units of observation in this study. The sample size is determined using probability theory. The statistical minimum of the sample is 30 people. When studying the public opinion of the republic, it is enough to interview 1200 - 2000 people. For the scale of the city, it is enough to interview about 500 - 800 people. To study individual labor collectives sometimes the sample is determined in number 10% from general composition workers. More precisely, the sample is calculated according to special formulas. It is important not only to determine size, but also the composition of the sample. There are several ways to determine composition of respondents. All these ways must ensure the representativeness of the sample. Representativeness or representativeness sampling is the correspondence of the social and demographic structure of the sample to the structure of the general population. For example, if the general population is 40% pensioners, 20% youth, 50% women, 30% workers, then the sample structure should also contain these social groups in the same proportions. Polling random passers-by on the street is considered unreliable. In some cases, if necessary, the program may contain a software package computer information processing. Research methods are selected in accordance with the nature of the problem under study. Poll method. The most common is questionnaire with the help of a questionnaire. The next poll is interview, which can be carried out without a pre-prepared questionnaire, but according to a special plan. The sociologist talks with the respondent, asking questions during this conversation. In marketing sociological research, a survey method is often used, such as focus group. When discussing the desired consumer qualities of a future product in a group of 30 potential buyers.

social statistics . Analyzing statistical data, comparing them by years, regions and other indicators, a sociologist can draw important conclusions. Document Analysis . A document in sociology means any recorded information: newspapers, magazines, letters, television and radio messages, etc. Quantitative and qualitative processing of documents is called in sociology content analysis . In the text of the document words, phrases, fragments of a certain topic are highlighted. Then the sociologist calculates the frequency of these text fragments and, based on this, a conclusion is made about public attention to one problem or another. Observation method . He can be included when the sociologist is involved in the activities of the community and observes the processes of interest to him as if from the inside, taking part in them himself. Not included observation presupposes the sociologist's distancing from the phenomenon under study on the basis of a view, so to speak, "from outside". Method social experiment . There are two communities. One of them is control, the other is experimental. Sociologist changing any parameters in experimental group investigates the effect of such influence. Method social modeling . Some social phenomena are described in a mathematical, quantitative form, and then, with the help of a computer, changes in these phenomena are simulated, including one or another parameter. Questionnaire and questionnaire. The questionnaire is a questionnaire that has a certain structure. The questionnaire has a title and an introduction. The introduction contains information about the objectives of the study, who conducts the study, short instruction about the method of filling, an indication that the questionnaire is anonymous and a brief polite formula is desirable. The source of questions is the objectives of the study, working hypotheses (both essential and factorial), the wishes of the customer, questions from questionnaires, previously conducted similar studies. At the end of the questionnaire there are questions about the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondent (passport), such as gender, age, education, occupation, etc. Types of questions. An open question does not contain ready-made answers. A closed question contains pre-prepared answers. The respondent must select one or more options. 2. Alternative or extended questions. Alternative question requires a yes or no answer. An extended question, such as "menu", contains several answers. A scale question allows you to measure the intensity, strength, degree of importance of one or another answer option. The scale may look like sentences, such as: "In to a large extent”, “medium degree”, “small degree”.