The Introduction to Sociology Course was developed through the Ohio Department of Higher Education OER Innovation Grant. This work was completed and the course was posted in September 2018. The course is part of the Ohio Transfer Module and is also named OSS021. For more information about credit transfer between Ohio colleges and universities, please visit: www.ohiohighered.org/transfer.Team LeadIrene Petten                                                Columbus State Community CollegeContent Contributors Dee Malcuit                                                 Clark State Community CollegeKwaku Oboso-Mensah                               Lorain County Community CollegeAnjel Stough-Hunter                                   Ohio Dominican UniversityLibrarianSherri Saines                                              Ohio UniversityReview TeamEric Jorrey                                                 Central Ohio Technical College 

OER Text Material Stages of the Sociological Research Process“Eye on Society: Doing Sociological Research” (Chapter Two) Sociology: Understanding and Changing the Social WorldList the major stages of the sociological research processDescribe the different types of units of analysis in sociologyExplain the differene between an independent variable and a dependent variableResearch Design in SociologyThis section lists the major advantages and disadvantages of surveys, experiments and observational studies Good general content – section 2.2 and 2.3 - Missing content covering “defining the problem” within the steps of the social science research process

OER Text MaterialEye on Society: Doing Sociological ResearchEthical Issues in Social Science This section describes two kinds of ethical issues and/or guidelines that characterize sociological research.Sociological Research in the Service of Society Should the primary aim of sociological research be to help improve society, or should its primary aim be to discover social knowledge for its own sake? There is no right or wrong answer to this question. However, following in the spirit of the early American sociologists, this book hopes to show the relevance of sociological knowledge and insights, as derived from sound, objective research, for addressing many of the social issues facing American society and various nations around the world.

OER Text Material“Eye on Society: Doing Sociological Research” (Chapter Two) Sociology: Understanding and Changing the Social WorldSoicology as a Social Science. This section will cover the following:Explain what is meant by saying that sociology is a social science.Describe the difference between a generalization and a law in scientific research.List the sources of knowledge on which people rely for their understanding of social reality and explain why the knowledge gained from these sources may sometimes be faulty.List the basic steps of the scientific method.General good content for the introduction to the social science research process

This book is designed to introduce doctoral and graduate students to the process of scientific research in the social sciences, business, education, public health, and related disciplines. This book is based on my lecture materials developed over a decade of teaching the doctoral-level class on Research Methods at the University of South Florida. The target audience for this book includes Ph.D. and graduate students, junior researchers, and professors teaching courses on research methods, although senior researchers can also use this book as a handy and compact reference.