Social Research Design Unit 3: The Nature of Causation

    Welcome to Unit 3 of Sociology 201 online.  In this unit of the course, we are going to take a look at the nature of causation in social research.

    The discussions and activities of this unit are linked to Chapter Four of The Practice of Social Research.    To preview the discussion of causation contained in Chapter Four, click here.  You might want to read the overview prior to reading that section of the chapter and/or read the overview after the chapter to make sure you got what you were supposed to get from it.

    Your tasks for completing this unit of the course are to:

(1) Preview and read pp. 90-94 of Chapter 4 of the textbook.
(2) View the modules provided below.

Online Modules

Click here for a presentation on the three criteria for causation, including a discussion of spuriousness.  You should get a clearer idea of what social researchers require in order to conclude a causal relationship exists between two variables.

Click here for a presentation on necessary and sufficient causes.