Individuals And Families In Diverse Society

Introduction to Anthropology, Pyschology, Sociology INDEPENDENT STUDY UNIT

Our independent study unit takes the form of a research report which is a written presentation of published information from a variety of reliable sources on a specific topic related to human behaviour.

This requires: 1. Identifying why social scientists study humans 2. Understanding how social scientists gather data on humans 3. Becoming familiar with terms used in research and in reporting of research 4. Learning how to read scholarly research reports of studies 5. Identifying and locating reliable sources of information 6. Understanding the difference between a research report and an essay 7. Choosing and narrowing a topic suitable for a research report 8. Writing a thesis 9. Learning note taking methods for collecting information 10. Learning research writing skills – paraphrasing, documentation, writing a good introduction, objective reporting of information 11. Completing the phases required for the literature review

 PHASE 1 – Identifying the research question, identifying headings for your research, locating at least four resources, including at least one journal article to be used  PHASE 2 – annotated bibliography, listing at least ten sources you will use in your report, critically thinking about how useful each source will be,  PHASE 3 – Full introduction, outline of some points to be given under each heading in final paper with corresponding references, resources including academic journal articles in correct bibliographic APA style  PHASE 4 – Final paper

NOTE: Full instructions and assistance are given for every step. Each step builds on the other. Therefore it is VERY important that you complete EACH step so that you receive feedback on your progress. What kinds of questions do human researchers ask?

1. What are the statistics?

- determine demographic profiles of society from statistics e.g. - family types – single parent, step families, nuclear - marital status - divorce rates - incomes - employment – types of jobs

- determine patterns in society from statistics e.g. – Are divorce rates higher in urban or rural areas?

2. How do humans behave?

- types of group interaction - criminal behaviour - human response to social change - child behaviour

3. How do humans develop and learn?

- analyze the process of growth and development (physical, emotional, social and intellectual growth), developmental theories are then formulated - improved teaching and parenting techniques with this knowledge

Where is research done? 1. Universities or in affiliation with a university program 2. Research Institutes with a certain specialization: Example: Vanier Institute of the Family 3. Hospitals and Clinics – do genetic and physical research 4. Government – Canadian Census - give grants to universities and clinics to do research RESEARCH ISSUES

THE SAMPLE

 When human researchers want information about people, they choose an appropriate group of people called the research sample.  The sample usually has certain characteristics appropriate for the research e.g. Specific age, education.  The information gained from the sample is then inferred to all Canadian families. ISSUES How accurate is the inference? How accurate is the representation?

TYPES OF SAMPLES

1. Random Sampling - every person in the population has an equal chance of being in the sample e.g. every 20th name in the telephone directory

2. Selective Sampling - sample may need to be specific e.g. Only families with preschool-age children

EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH - in this method 2 groups are compared - a control group and an experimental group - these 2 groups have to be identical except for the one aspect/characteristic being tested – therefore very accurate E.g. – 2 groups of children – same age - One group watches a T.V. show, then both groups to do learning activity - research could find out if the T.V. show helped children to solve the learning activity

ORIGINAL VS. RECREATED RESEARCH

- research is original – that is…that exact study has never been done before, but is based on previous research. However, it is a new aspect. It continues where the previous research left off.

- Some research consists of taking a previously done survey or observation(s) or experiment and recreates it at a later time or in a different setting - e.g. Using data already collected in a new way How is research recorded?

1. In Textbooks – textbooks refer to main findings of studies that have been done

2. In Academic Journals – Researchers submit reports on their research study (the sample, method of research, results and conclusions), but only certain articles will be accepted for publication. These journals are usually published monthly. In addition to book format, journal articles can also be accessed online and may be stored on microfiche or microfilm.

Some examples of Journals, which have research reports on issues pertaining to human behaviour, are listed below:

Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Canadian Social Trends Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect Child Abuse and Neglect Journal of Family Issues Child & Adolescent Social Work Journal Journal of Family Violence Child Development Journal of Homosexuality Child Welfare Journal of Intercultural Studies Ethics Journal of Law, Medicine and Ethics Ethic and Racial Studies Journal of Learning Disabilities Exceptional Children Journal of Marriage and the Family Family Relations Journal of Medical Ethics Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology Journal of Personality Journal of Adolescence Journal of Social Issues Journal of Child and Family Studies Journal of Youth and Adolescence Journal of Communication Sex Roles: A journal of research Journal of Divorce and Remarriage Social Problems Journal of Drug Issues

When using a database, always search for full text articles. You will have to experiment whether searching by subject or by key word gives you the best results. What is a Research Report?

It is a comprehensive, unbiased written presentation of published information from a variety of reliable sources on a specific topic.

 Comprehensive – covers all aspects of the topic needed to present the ideas clearly

 Unbiased – does not deliberately omit information which presents a certain viewpoint - shows both sides of an issue - However, in the conclusion, may show that more information was available to support the question, issue or argument in one direction or the other

 Variety and Reliable Resources – facts, ideas and findings from Non-fiction textbooks, research journals, newspapers, non-popular magazines, statistical tables, agency brochures, behaviour programs and personal consultations

Examples of reliable sources Examples of non-reliable sources

- less than 5 years old - more than 10 years old - Stats Canada - tabloids - academic journals (see TRELLIS) - newspaper articles (unless a - book written by professionals research article) (check author’s credentials) - popular magazines such as: - Internet sites from professional Canadian Living institutions – check credentials Vogue - magazines that include well researched Redbook articles, such as Psychology Today MacLean’s - newspapers (only if the articles Time are researched e.g. Special section on Newsweek aging) - popular Internet sites such as Ask Jeeves Topic Selection for Research Report

 Your topic MUST relate to human behaviour.

 There is no limit on the number of students writing on a particular topic, and I will do my best not to compare work, but you will have a better chance of a higher mark with originality.

 Not all information will be directly about Canadian’s behaviour – some of it may be very general, but you should try to provide some Canadian context.

 Choose a topic meaningful to you. Think about what interests you and how it relates to the course. Remember, you will have to do a lot of reading and work on this topic so don’t bore yourself by choosing a boring topic!!!

 Have some general idea of interest and then see what research material you can find. In some instances you will have to narrow your topic as it is either too broad, or there is too much information. In other cases, you will have to broaden your area of study, as there is insufficient information to do a good job.

 If you find an excellent source of information it is a good idea to look in the Bibliography to check for other sources there. Good Internet sites will cite their sources.

 You need to do SERIOUS research; the BCI library periods are intended to help you find diverse research, however, you will need to visit other libraries (eg. UofW, WLU) to help you find more academic research. You cannot do an adequate job on this paper using books and Internet only!

 Your finished paper will be 1,700 to 2,500 words long, so make sure you have enough material. Be warned… I am very good at recognizing “filler” because you don’t have enough information or haven’t done enough reading!

 Keep a CAREFUL record of all the information you access for bibliographical reasons – you need to cite ALL your sources, and I will check. Research Report – Internet Research

The Internet is an excellent tool for serious research, however there are some potential problems and pitfalls:

1. Not everything posted on the Internet is genuine well-documented research. A. The name of the author AND an official title that belongs to an accredited institution –nothing can stop me from putting letters after my name but if they belong to a specific program, I cannot use them if I didn’t earn them. B. The name of the University or College or Official organization to which this person belongs or whoever is sponsoring the research. C. Supporting documentation – where you can get further evidence that is independent.

2. A lot of official-looking research posted is biased and intended to promote either an individual point of view or that an organization devoted to a “cause” – BE VERY CAREFUL WHOSE IDEAS YOU ACCEPT!!!

3. Be aware that even the best search engines (e.g. www. google.ca) only accesses about 20% of all web sites, and you may well have to wade through a pile of irrelevant information to get what you want.

4. Many universities now post their research documents on the Internet – these are great if you can find them.

5. The Internet is a good way to access information that is also in print, without having to retrieve the original print source.

6. Government departments have web sites that will give you up-to-date information and statistics without having to look up the original documents.

7. Many libraries are now on-line and you can browse their catalogues. This includes the TUG group – WLU, U of W, U of G (site: www.tug-libraries.on.ca)

With this information in mind, I have the following rules for your Literature Review: 1. All information from the Internet MUST HAVE THE FULL WEB ADDRESS 2. The must be evidence you have accessed information other than the Internet; therefore there will be a 50% limit on material taken directly from Internet sources. This does not include University research journal articles you may have accessed from the Internet that are also available in print form. 3. If you have any questions, doubts, reservations, concerns, please check with me – it is important that you realize research is composed of more than the Internet, fantastic though it is!!! SEVEN ERRORS TO AVOID WHEN COMPOSING A THESIS

1. A thesis cannot be a fragment; it must be expressed in a sentence. Poor: How life is for abused children. Better: Children who suffer from abuse are more likely to have lower self-esteem, poor school attendance and fewer friends than their peers.

2. A thesis must not be in the form of a question! Usually the answer to that question could be the thesis. Poor: What are the effects of foster care on a child? Better: Children in foster care develop well physically but struggle to form secure relationships.

3. A thesis must not contain such phrases as I think. (They merely weaken the statement.) Poor: I think technological advances have weakened the family. Better: Technological advances have weakened the family.

4. A thesis must not contain elements that are not clearly related. Poor: All novelists seek the truth; therefore, some novelists are good psychologists. Better: In their attempt to probe human nature, many novelists appear to be good psychologists.

5. A thesis must not be expressed in vague language. Poor: Some people do not think wage and price controls did too much for inflation despite the politicians saying it would. Better: Contrary to what politicians believed, wage and price controls did not stop inflation.

6. A thesis must not be expressed in muddled or incoherent language. Poor: All students should not think that university is for everyone, because for many people they have a career that high school was all they needed. Better: Students should realize that many people have good careers without having attended university.

7. A thesis should not be written in figurative language. Poor: Love is the rose in the garden of our existence. Better: Love is the true basis of human happiness. THESIS STATEMENT

A. DEFINITION: a specific statement that summarizes the point of view you will take in your research paper.

B. STEPS IN DEVELOPING A THESIS STATEMENT:

1. Begin with a general topic or subject you wish to research.

2. Develop a research question.

3. Turn your question into a focused research topic. - gather information from a wide variety of sources - look for a central idea or theme that recurs in your notes - generate some opinions based on your notes

4. Write your thesis statement in clear, concise language. It should also provide an indication of purpose, direction, and the main divisions of your paper.

YOUR THESIS STATEMENT PROVIDES THE ANSWER TO YOUR RESEARCH QUESTION.

C. CHARACTERISTICS OF A SUCCESSFUL THESIS STATEMENT:

1. It sets limits on the scope of what you will cover in the paper. 2. It is specific. Anyone reading the statement should know what the paper is about. 3. It unifies the ideas in the paper. It must be written first, before you begin the outline and before you write the paper itself. 4. It provides a way to hold the diverse aspects of your paper together. SAMPLE: Title page should:  Be typed  Follow large and small case letters as shown  Not use any underlining

START TITLE HERE

USE SEVERAL LINES AS NEEDED

CENTER WORDS

YOUR FULL NAME

for the course presented to

BLUEVALE COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE

200_ SAMPLE

FORGOTTEN VICTIMS OF WAR

JOE SMITH

For the course HSP 3MI Presented to MR. BALLANTYNE

BLUEVALE COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE 2006 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction: Indicate Complete Title 1

2.0 Discussion 2

2.1 Heading #1 2 2.2 Heading #2 4 2.3 Heading #3 6

3.0 Summary 7

4.0 Conclusions 8

5.0 Appendix 9

6.0 References 10

NOTE: Number References as 5.0 if an appendix is not used. SAMPLE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction: Forgotten Victims: Children of War 1

2.0 Discussion 2

2.1 Children as Physical Casualties of War 2 2.2 Children as Psychological Casualties of War 4 2.3 Children as Social Casualties of War 5 2.4 The Child’s Family as a Casualty of War 7

3.0 Summary 8

4.0 Conclusions 10

5.0 References 12 SAMPLE

5.0 REFERENCES

Canadian Centre for Foreign Policy. (2000). The Machel Review, 1996-2000: a critical analysis of progress made and obstacles encountered in increasing protection for war-affected children. Ottawa: Canadian Centre for Foreign Policy.

Garbarino, J., Kostelny, K., & Dubrow, N. (1991). No place to be a child: growing up in a war zone. Lexington: Lexington Books.

Goldson, E. (1996). The effect of war on children. Child Abuse and Neglect, 20, 809-819.

Kocijan-Hercigonja, D. (1999). Experiences from Croatia. In E. Ullmann & H. Werner (Ed.), Childhood and trauma: separation, abuse, war (K. Henschel & M.H. Margreiter, Trans.). Aldershot: Ashgate Pub.

MacCormack, C. (1999). Children of Conflict. Forum for Applied Research and Public Policy, 14, 79. Retrieved April 12, 2002 from Infotrac database.

UNICEF. (n.d.). Children and war. In Voices of Youth. [http://www.unicef.org/voy/meeting/war/war-exp2.html]

UNICEF. (1996). Children in war. In The State of the World’s Children 1996. [http://www.unicef.org/sowc96/1cinwar.htm]

War Child. (n.d.). War Child Aims. [http://www.warchild.org/aims.html]