7;s cheaper to undergo the study. Sometimes it is difficult to use these methods because it doesn’t conform to race and gander participants. Another method is observation. An observation is a first hand account of information from the person or persons studying the group. Observation studies may be used to improve the policies and structures of organizations. Some sociologists obtain information through participant observation. Participant observation allows a sociologist to temporarily become or pretending to become a member of the group being studied. Sociologists also obtain information by relying on knowledgeable informants of the group. This makes the observation method the most time consuming method of research. A person must involve him/herself thoroughly and become one with the group. The observation process may produce some challenges for the researcher. The researchers should fully understand what they’re observing. The researcher should not develop close relationships to where he/she can not come up with a proper conclusion.Sociologists also use experiments as one of their research methods. Sociologists use an experiment to study cause and effect relationships. An experiment is a test or trial artificially created. The situation allows the researcher to form variables and introduce control variables. In order to carry out an experiment, two groups of people are selected. One would be the experimental group and the other the control group. The experimental group is exposed to an independent variable. The independent variable is altered and influences a change in the experimental group.Sociologists often use old data in their research. Old data would include maps, census, and statistics. They use secondary analysis, which is a variety of techniques that make use of data. Usually, information researchers get is not looked at the same way as it was by the initial collectors. People’s behavior is non-reactive bec...
