The purpose of this assignment is to examine the use of Triangulation (This term is defined in the Reading Module for Chapter 2.) in research methods, and just how useful it can be to incorporate different methods of
data collection into the same study.
To complete this assignment, you will want to first make sure you have read the Chapter Two Reading Module and Chapter 2 in the textbook. Be sure you are familiar with: a) The Four Major Research Designs
(Experiment, Survey, Ethnography, Existing/Secondary Data) b) the terms Independent Variable, Dependent
Variable, Control Variable, and c) the term Triangulation. After familiarizing yourself with these concepts.
The first time you use each of these words in your paper, fully and formally define it.
Second, I would like for you to watch the following video clip from Youtube. I generally do not like to use
popular media sources in the classroom, but this clip comes very close to legitimate sociology research with the
benefit of being recorded and broadcast for free. The clip can be accessed at the following web address.
As you watch this video you should be able to see a Triangulation of all Four Primary Research Designs or
methods being used to test a central research question. Your job will be to write a report about this research.
Not counting the cover page with your name, your report should be approximately two pages in length (1 inch
margins, 12 point font, double spaced). This paper needs to be written in a proper essay style and edited for
grammar and content. In this report you should:
1) Describe the research being done, indicating which major Research Design is used as the primary basis of
the study being performed. In this part of your answer you will need to briefly explain this answer using
specific details from the video and descriiptions of the Research Design from the book to justify your answer.
You will also need to explain specifically what the Independent Variable and Dependent Variable of the
study are.
2) Summarize the overall findings of the research in terms of the relationship between the independent and
dependent variables? What other variables are being used in the study as Control Variables (there are about
a dozen, make note of at least three) to be sure nothing else could be causing these findings?
3) Throughout the video clip researchers also bring in aspects of the other three Research Designs to
Triangulate and verify their primary findings. Briefly define and explain what Triangulation is, and how and
where these other three types of research are being incorporated into the study. In your explanation be sure to
detail what specific findings and information is made available to the researchers when these other methods are
used in the study.
Paper assignments should be approximately two pages in length and submitted through the turnitin.com link in
the course Blackboard folder Content/Paper Assignments