Sociology: Statistics

The three research methods most commonly used by sociologists are observational techniques, surveys, and experiments. In each case, measurement is involved that yields a set of numbers, which are the findings, or data, produced by the research study. Sociologists and other scientists summarize data, find relationships between sets of data, and determine whether experimental manipulations have had an effect on some variable of interest.

Sociologists study society and social behavior by examining the groups, cultures, organizations, social institutions, and processes that people develop.