Choose ONE of these 3 options of social science research approaches to compare/c

Choose ONE of these 3 options of social science research approaches to compare/contrast
 Option 1: Experimental approach and Qualitative approach
 Option 2: Experimental approach and Interpretive/Ethnographic approach
 Option 3: Quantitative approach and Interpretive/Ethnographic approach
 Do NOT compare Experimental to Quantitative, Quantitative to Qualitative, or Qualitative to
Interpretive/Ethnographic (you will lose 20% of your grade for comparing either of these pairs)
Goal of Essay: demonstrate knowledge of course material, theories, concepts, and examples as provided in
readings, lectures, videos, etc.
Compare 2 research approaches in the option you chose with respect to BOTH the following issues:
1. Compare and contrast which kinds of research questions are best answered by each approach in your pair:
For EACH of your selected research approaches, identify which types of research questions and which types of
explanations they do particularly well and which they do not do particularly well. Explain WHAT makes one
approach better for providing satisfying explanations of certain types of questions and the other approach is
better for providing satisfying explanations of other types of research questions. Illustrate argument with
EXAMPLES and citations.
o For example, you might note that one research approach explains patterns of correlation across people
well because it collects information about large numbers of people and so can see patterns that would
not emerge if only a few people are studied. By contrast, the other research approach does less well at
seeing such patterns but does better at showing why that pattern of correlation exists because it does
detailed analysis of a few cases that trace the causal process by which a cause led to an effect.
2. Compare and contrast the steps that are taken to conduct research by each approach in your pair:
Identify at least one research task that is required for BOTH research approaches. ALSO identify at least one
research task required by one of your research approaches but NOT the other. Explain how research tasks help
build convincing answers to research questions. Illustrate argument with EXAMPLES and citations.
o For example, consider which of the following research tasks is needed in both of your research
approaches and which are needed by one but not the other: a) select cases that are similar in important
ways, b) collect similar data on a large number of cases, c) collect detailed information about how
things happened in a particular case, d) build relationships with people involved so they will report the
truth, e) manipulate the independent variable, or f) review prior literature on the research question.
NOTE: these are some of the research tasks we have discussed but not necessarily all of them.
Other points
 Structure essay so sections are about the aspects of 2 research approaches you are comparing (do NOT
make first section about the first research approach and second section about second research approach).
 Read rubric on Canvas Final Exam Essay assignment to ensure you know what the TAs will be looking for.
 Submit document as Word (.doc or .docx). Plagiarism check (TurnItIn) will be enabled.
LATE POLICY FOR FINAL EXAM: Because of University due dates for final grades and because this is a
Take-home exam provided several days before it is due, NO EXTENSIONS and NO LATE SUBMISSIONS WILL
BE ACCEPTED. If you have clearly extenuating circumstances that prevent you from completing a Take-home
exam in the time provided, please email Professor Mitchell.
Essays MUST follow ALL university student conduct rules, including those on plagiarism and cheating.
Submit only your own work, enclose exact phrases or sentences in double quotation marks, and provide citations for
all ideas and concepts (whether an exact quote or not). I will refer all cases of suspected plagiarism or cheating to
the University’s Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards. Any student which that office determines to
have plagiarized or cheated will receive a failing grade for the course.