Sociological Research Methods

Sociological Research Methods

The article I choose to review used only one research method; existing sources. Using this type of research method saves time and money because the collection, organization, and reporting of the information has already been done. The authors combed through numerous previous studies and statistics to find data supporting their micro-level, interpretive analysis of suicidal behavior among Hispanic adolescents.

The article starts off at the macro-level by reviewing statistics on all suicides from ages 10 to 24 in the United States and slowly narrows it down to suicides committed by adolescents until it reaches the segregation of race. Here, the article introduces the numerous Latino subgroups that are consolidated under the Latino/a heading. This was done in preparation for the interpretive analysis of the previous studies supporting why the authors believe they were insufficient. The authors even go as far as specifically asking the question, “Does the fact that there are similarities among Latino sub-groups justify placing them in one broad category, such as Hispanic, for comparative studies addressing adolescent suicide behavior?” (Duarté-Vélez & Bernal, 2007, p. 438). The authors go on further to discuss the differences in the environment of the sub-groups; delving even further by discussing the differences male and female adolescents face. This intricate dissection of information constitutes the methodological orientation as interpretive as opposed to scientific. The authors are not simply reporting found figures, they are discussing specific information that was not previously taken into consideration when the initial studies and statistics were performed and documented.

When researching such a personal topic like suicide, this approach is not uncommon. According to the Collins Dictionary of Sociology (2006), distorted statistics are more prevalent in some groups. For example, “Catholics are less likely than Protestants...