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<br />primary data it is important to consider the study approach <br /> <br />employed and implications for the type of research strategy <br /> <br />which it called for. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />033G <br /> <br />1.3.6 Combining_a Sociometric and Anthropological/ <br />Ethnographic Approach <br /> <br />Normally in sociological research a research design is <br /> <br />prepared in advance, hypotheses specified, and data then <br /> <br />gathered. When the data are explicitly specified in advance <br /> <br />and special scaling techniques prescribed, this can be referred <br /> <br />to as a "sociometric" study. In contrast, anthropologists <br /> <br />will frequently enter a community with no preconceived notions <br /> <br />of what to test with the assumption that the experience of <br /> <br />interaction with local residents and institutions will help <br /> <br />direct inquiry to the most relevant cultural questions. While <br /> <br />these are fairly simplistic descriptions, the research entailed <br /> <br />itself is very sophisticated and is referred to as the ethno- <br /> <br />graphic approach. Both research strategies require considerable <br /> <br />professional. training and require an understanding of the <br /> <br />theory which guides such research. The strength of the socio- <br /> <br />metric approach centers around its precise delineation of data <br /> <br />necessary to answer specific questions. That is, the researcher <br /> <br />knows precisely what he is seeking. <br /> <br />Its weakness lies in the <br /> <br />possibility that the questions being asked may not be the im- <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />portant ones. Conversely, the ethnographic approach finds its <br /> <br />strength in the fact that it lets the data shape the nature of <br /> <br />research questions asked. It does not bring any "bias" in <br /> <br />25 <br />