Portfolio Reflection 2
Three classes that I have taken at Longwood University that have dealt with the methodology of sociology are:
SOCL 345- Social Research and Program Evaluation
SOCL 346- Statistics for the Social Sciences
SOCL 401- Sociological Theory
- Social Research and Program Evaluation was taken in the Fall of 2020 and taught by Dr. Pederson. This course centered around building, evaluating, and participating in a survey we independently developed in class. We learned how to code and create a survey which was sent throughout the campus to students. The use of open ended and closed questions was critical for the validity of the survey.
- was taken in the Spring of 2021 with Dr. Pederson. This class is where we learned to find trends and record them from the survey information we obtained in the previous class. We used basic math and statistics to evaluate what kind of trends we saw in our surveys and whether or not our hypothesis and theories were correct. The use of qualitative and quantitative data was used and analyzed.
- Sociological Theory, taught by Dr. Riden, was taken in the Fall of 2021 and focused heavily on the theories of sociology since its inception as a social science. We learned and talked about different types of sociological theories, and theorists, to help understand why people act a certain way and what we deem is socially acceptable in society.
In the Social Research and Program Evaluation course, many different types of methods were used to correctly write and design the survey. I made sure that no trigger words were used and that the questions were written clearly and precisely so that there would be little to no confusion when answering the questions. This was done so that I was able to receive the best and most non-bias answers that I could. I also had to make sure that the survey was not to long for the students. Our research in survey design showed that people will not take a survey if it over a certain length because it will take too much time and participants will start to answer the questions unreliably. My survey was “COVID-19 Policies and Their Effects on Students at Longwood University.” A large portion of this class was an evaluation of the research presented in a findings paper. In this paper our results were given, collection methods discussed, data analyzed and included a literature review. This class taught me critical skills that I can use in many careers that may need data collected and analyzed for proper decision making. I also learned how to present the results in a professional manner.
Statistics for the Social Sciences took more of a mathematical approach to things. This class was an extension of the research class taken the previous semester. We had to code and find the mathematical interpretation for what people answered and why they did so on our surveys. The questions were recoded to make them easier to understand and to read the data collected. This allowed us to turn the qualitative data into quantitative results. The survey was based around the guest policy at Longwood University during the peak of the pandemic. The results showed that most of the students were not in favor of the guidelines the university had in place and how it affected their overall experience at the University. Our findings were recorded and explained in a findings paper at the end of the course. Moving forward, this class taught me how to use R-Studio and SPSS software. The programs are the main coding programs that companies use today and I am now experienced on both and have products that demonstrate my proficiency. Businesses use research, data collection and analysis in order to make effective decisions. Being able to use both of these programs effectively could give me a great advantage over other applicants and possibly other employees already working at the company.
Sociological Theory was a course that introduced both the history, evolution and characteristics of both classical and contemporary sociological theory. These theories offer explanations as to why our social world is the way it is. This course asked us to compare and contrast multiple theories, their key concepts and the theorists who developed them. Writings completed in the course made connections between concepts and themes to our current social, economic and political world. I feel this course taught me that a solid foundation in the theories made for a complete connection with the science and the data to understanding sociology as a whole. In a business setting, understanding how and why people make their decisions, how they relate to others, and how they view the world is an invaluable tool I am hoping to utilize in my future endeavors.