Bibliography
Martin, John Levi. 2017. Thinking Through Methods: A Social Science Primer. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago.
Review by Michael Beach
As the name implies, this is a methodology work. Specifically, John Levi Martin explores how social science is conducted from a practical ‘how to’ sense. In the empirical sciences one might reduce variables and examine outcomes. In sociology the study subjects are human beings in a given social setting. The variables are countless. One cannot isolate the subject, people, from their natural environment. If one does attempt to remove the subject from normal life by say bringing them to a formal location like a university, the information would likely be less true.
Sociology then is a combination of examining and interviewing people, then looking for patterns. Martin spends a considerable amount of space looking at question formulation and interview arrangement to get as close to truth as possible as it relates to whatever one is attempting to learn something about through research. He notes the ethics of studying people, and procedures to ensure both the subjects are protected while still getting useful information. Martin also approaches how to glean information from all sorts of documents, from official publications such as laws, to personal official information such as tax returns, to private personal information such as journals. He then walks the reader through ways of coding information within observations, interviews, and documents to see patterns that relate to the research topic at hand.
The book is clearly aimed at research specialists in the field of Sociology. Despite all the help, Martin admits that there is a tension between decided what to research originally, and how that aim changes as one gathers information. The researcher has to find ways to be careful to not approach a study with preconceived ends in mind, and at the same time not to allow data to take them too far away from a focused finding.
Martin, John Levi. 2017. Thinking Through Methods: A Social Science Primer. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago.
Review by Michael Beach
As the name implies, this is a methodology work. Specifically, John Levi Martin explores how social science is conducted from a practical ‘how to’ sense. In the empirical sciences one might reduce variables and examine outcomes. In sociology the study subjects are human beings in a given social setting. The variables are countless. One cannot isolate the subject, people, from their natural environment. If one does attempt to remove the subject from normal life by say bringing them to a formal location like a university, the information would likely be less true.
Sociology then is a combination of examining and interviewing people, then looking for patterns. Martin spends a considerable amount of space looking at question formulation and interview arrangement to get as close to truth as possible as it relates to whatever one is attempting to learn something about through research. He notes the ethics of studying people, and procedures to ensure both the subjects are protected while still getting useful information. Martin also approaches how to glean information from all sorts of documents, from official publications such as laws, to personal official information such as tax returns, to private personal information such as journals. He then walks the reader through ways of coding information within observations, interviews, and documents to see patterns that relate to the research topic at hand.
The book is clearly aimed at research specialists in the field of Sociology. Despite all the help, Martin admits that there is a tension between decided what to research originally, and how that aim changes as one gathers information. The researcher has to find ways to be careful to not approach a study with preconceived ends in mind, and at the same time not to allow data to take them too far away from a focused finding.
RSS Feed