SOC 225 / WGS 231: Sociology of Sex and Gender

The introduction and literature review provide context and rationale for the study. In this section, you should find:

• synthesis of existing research and theory relevant to the study
• definitions of terms and concepts used in the article
• rationale for the study (for example, filling in a gap in the existing research)

This section describes how the researchers conducted the study. In this section, you should find:

• Recruitment strategies for study participants 
• Demographics of study participants (such as age, race, gender, etc.)
• Data collection methods (such as surveys, interviews, ethnographic observation)
• Citation or description of measures used, if any

This section describes what the study found, the results of quantitative and/or qualitative analysis. 

Depending on methodology, you may find:

• Statistical charts and graphs
• Interview themes and excerpts

The discussion section interprets the results. It should also discuss limitations of the study. This section often suggests future lines of inquiry.