What are the social research methods, and the four major research methods of social research methods

There are four major research methods in social research methods: survey research, experimental research, literature analysis, and field investigation.

1. Survey and research are applicable to surveys on social living conditions, social issues, market surveys, public opinion surveys and academic surveys.

2. Experimental research is suitable for exploring whether there is a causal relationship between two phenomena, and the types of experiments include laboratory experiments and field experiments, standard experiments and quasi-experiments.

3. Literature research is suitable for studying those research objects that cannot be accessed and longitudinal analysis, including content analysis, secondary analysis and existing statistical analysis.

4. Field research is suitable for studying the process and characteristics of the development and change of phenomena, it is a kind of social research method that goes deep into the life background of the research phenomenon, collects data by participating in observation and unstructured interviews, and understands and explains the phenomenon through qualitative analysis of these data.

Social Research Methods

Research Methods in Sociology is a book published by Chinese University Press in June 2009, written by Feng Xiaotian. 1. Combined with the development trend of sociological research at home and abroad and the practice of teaching sociological research methods in colleges and universities, this book provides a concise introduction to the basic concepts, basic principles and basic methods of sociological empirical research methods. The system of the book is scientific and standardized, the content is appropriate, and the language is concise, which is suitable for the teaching needs of colleges and universities, and is also suitable for self-study and reference of personnel in actual research departments.

There are two types of research: quantitative research and qualitative research.

Qualitative research.

1. Field research method Field research is also called participatory observation.

The fieldwork method is only used for exploratory or descriptive research and is rarely used for explanatory research.

2. Historical comparative research.

Historical comparative studies can be exploration, description, and interpretation, or a mixture of various types, but mainly descriptive.

Quantitative research.

1. Experiments. 2. Investigation.

3. Content analysis.

Caution must be exercised when using secondary data, and both the validity and reliability of the original measurements should be considered. At the same time, there is also a question of credit, that is, when reporting, the data must be stated, and the original author must be thanked. Content analysis can be used for exploratory research, but it is more descriptive.

Off-the-shelf statistical analysis is most commonly descriptive, although it can also be used for exploration and interpretation.

1) Survey method: Survey method is one of the most commonly used methods in scientific research. It is a purposeful, planned, and systematic method of collecting materials about the actual or historical condition of the object of study.

Generally, a large amount of data is obtained through written or oral questions, and then a large amount of data collected in the survey is analyzed, compared, summarized and summarized, so as to provide people with regular knowledge.

2) Observation method: Observation method refers to a scientific research method in which people systematically and quietly investigate objective things in a natural state through the senses and auxiliary instruments in a purposeful and planned manner, so as to obtain empirical facts. The observation method has the advantages of expanding people's perceptual knowledge and inspiring thoughts, but because it emphasizes that research should be carried out in a natural environment and does not allow personal bias, it does bring certain difficulties to practical operation.

3) Experimental method: Experimental method refers to a research method that is carefully designed to find the causal relationship between variables and verify predetermined hypotheses by manipulating certain factors under highly controlled conditions. The core lies in the proper control of the conditions of the object to be studied, and the interference of irrelevant factors in the natural state is excluded.

4) Quantitative analysis: Quantitative analysis is a research method that conducts quantitative analysis of things or their various components. Based on the statistical data, a mathematical model is established, and the indicators and values of the research object are calculated with the mathematical model.

Common quantitative analysis methods include ratio analysis, trend analysis, mathematical modeling, and so on.

5) Qualitative analysis: Qualitative analysis is the analysis of the "qualitative" aspects of the research object. Using the methods of induction and deduction, analysis and synthesis, and abstraction and generalization, the various materials obtained are processed by thinking, and the internal laws of the operation of things are exposed, including causal analysis, comparative analysis, contradiction analysis, etc.