Web Exercises

  1. Go to the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Sociology Program website at www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5369. What are the components that the NSF’s Sociology Program looks for in a proposed piece of research? Examine the Table of Contents for an NSF proposal at http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/grantsgovguide0113.pdf. Now outline a research proposal to the NSF to investigate a research question of your choice.
  2. The National Academy of Sciences wrote a lengthy report on ethics issues in scientific research. Visit the site and read the free executive summary. Go to www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=10430 and click on “Download.” Summarize the information and guidelines in the report.
  3. Using the web, find five different examples of social science research projects that have been completed. Briefly describe each. How does each differ in its approach to reporting the research results? To whom do you think the author(s) of each are “reporting” (i.e., who is the audience)? How do you think the predicted audience has helped shape the author’s approach to reporting the results? Be sure to note the websites at which you located each of your five examples.