Introduction
The article sought to investigate the informal social and economic networks designed and developed by street children on the streets of Moscow. The study explored some of the strategies utilized by street children on the streets of Russia to seek and establish opportunities for their survival.
The author noted that the presence of the street children in Moscow was a relatively new phenomenon that had not been studied between 1930’s until the end of 1980’s. Although the phenomenon was not new during this moment, the article suggests that the problem has not been recognized as a social problem.
Critical Analysis
According to the article, previous studies confined their efforts on studying their delinquencies, as opposed to identifying some of the means used for survival.
However, the researcher asserts that little visibility of street children on the streets led to little studies to identify some of the critical components of that defined their stay on the streets. As such, the study set off the fill observable gaps in the research literature to enable future researchers comprehends the topic (Coughlan, Cronin & Ryan, 2007).
This paper seeks to give a critical analysis of the article, “Street Children in Moscow: Using and creating social capital. The Sociological Review, 1-18” authored by Stevenson, Svetlana. (2001).The researcher has attempted to illustrate the significance of the study, but the article does not articulate the purpose for which it is established (Coughlan, Cronin & Ryan, 2007).
A research abstract gives a summary of the study, including the purpose, the methods used by the researchers, the sampling approach, and the study findings. Therefore, an abstract to this research has attempted to answer the critical elements of the study (Bryman, 2008).
Usually, a research summary allows readers who have not perused to gain an idea of the study’s purpose, objective, procedures used in the collection and analysis of data, analysis and findings (Coughlan and Cronin, 2007).
From reading, the abstract has a clearly stated purpose, aim, methods, and the sampling approach used. Therefore, the article’s abstract can give a precise overview of the study conducted with a view of informing the readers of the study. In addition, the abstract to the article is short and clear to allow an average reader to make necessary judgment (Bulmer, 1982).
From the article, the researcher begins with a well-structured background that lays the foundation of the study. The article identifies the historical development of the topic leading to the need for the study. This is evident from the researcher’s ability to demonstrate the research setting and the purpose for which it was established.
The study’s ability to highlight key indicators that solidify the purpose of the study makes the research valuable within the context of the field. The researcher asserts that although several studies have been conducted on the concept of street children in Moscow, little literature has given emphasis on strategies used to sustain their social networks for survival purposes.
Researchers have asserted that for any study to benefit from the qualities of research in terms of portraying its significance, a researcher must remain relevant in an effort to position his or her research to fill some observable gaps in the available literature (Marwick and Uniger, 1975).
The researcher developed a purpose of the study based on the exclusive evidence of lack of adequate information about means of survival through the use of strategic social networks. To understand the topic of the study, Svetlana (2001) initiated a conceptual framework that gives a reader a platform of understanding the phenomenon under study.
Conceptual framework works excellently to point at the theory and practice that underpins a researcher’s discourses (David, and Sutton, 2011). For instance, the researcher undertook to examine the notion of street children as a sociological consequence arising from social problems.
Therefore, sociological underpinnings have helped to make the topic clear for any average reader interested in examining the topic. To create a conceptual framework is critical for a study that seeks to explore a social phenomenon. This enables the researcher to stage his or her study on a firm foundation that explains the occurrence of the phenomenon being studied (Marwick & Uniger, 1975).
Although the study developed a clear basis necessary for understanding the context of the research, Svetlana (2001) did not state research questions for the study (Gilbert, 2001). Failure by the researcher to state his research questions creates a number of limitations for the study. Research questions are leading tools that guide a researcher in the process of conducting a research.
Therefore, when a study has clearly stated research questions, it remains objective and focused on addressing key areas of the topic while delivering measurable results as stated by the question. Thus, had the researcher employed research questions, it would have given the article a finer and more plausible outcome facilitated by research questions (Gilbert, 2001).
A research should be able to overcome the challenges of lacking the objective and purpose (Harris, Griffin & Williams, 2002). In order to offer a clear guide to the reader and interested researchers in the future, the research ought to indicate the fundamental objective as the setoff condition justifying its processes.
In a bid to form a plausible argument necessitating the research, an individual study should be able to depict its significance in contributing toward the field under study. This implies that even though the subject might be attractive, the researcher must demonstrate this component.
The literature review section of the article does afford to give a substantial amount of information needed to illuminate the research. For a research to fall under the category of good researches, a single research should be able to borrow much from other literatures that document similar of related data or information concerning the research topic (Locke, 2004).
Although the article does not demarcate the research into major sections including literature review, methodology and objective of the study, the paper has successfully ensured a sequential flow of information from the beginning up to the end of the study (Mowforth & Munt, 2008).
The literature review has drawn from relevant and sufficient information provided by previous studies on the topic. The researcher’s use of most recent literature makes the study to be relevant to the current scenario in Moscow.
Therefore, the article shows that its findings are applicable to the current state, and can be used to solve the research problems at hand. Research should be able to examine a phenomenon based on accurate, relevant, and up to date information (Renzetti and Lee, 1993).
The study clearly demonstrates the type of research methods used in investigating the topic. In trying to leverage the research from the weaknesses, the researcher illustrates how he achieved validity and reliability by using triangulation methods and techniques to improve the quality of the outcome.
The ability of the researcher to note weaknesses of data collection and analysis is critical because it welcomes informed and open judgment from readers, as opposed to choosing to remain quiet, which elicits radical criticisms that water down the findings of the study.
In the discourse of the study, the researchers link the study to thematic analysis indicating. This is evidently demonstrated by the choice of a questionnaire as a survey instrument.
Thematic analysis gave researchers a means to generate themes underpinning the state of street children and their innate means of forming and sustaining social networks for survival (Renzetti and Lee, 1993). The study relied on the theory developed to obtain a rich foundation for understanding the concept of run-a ways and street children, which explains reasons for the growing street populations in the world, especially in Russia.
Additionally, Svetlana (2001) points out that the study utilized a quantitative approach. The researcher employed a questionnaire as a survey instrument for gathering data. The article is categorical in stating its methods via the methodological section of the research.
The article conforms to the requisite elements of tourism research in which the researcher should give clear methods of data collection, analysis, and discussion of the findings. From the article, by Svetlana (2001), the methodology used in the research remains appropriate to the extent of the scenario being explored.
Since the study aims at gaining insight into the phenomenon, creating themes through qualitative interviewing method serves to help in building themes capable of ensuring successful theory building.
In administering interviews to the participants, the researcher is able to obtain a better understanding of the underlying problems affecting the local ecosystem. Usually other methods such as observation may not reveal the critical elements of the research explained by the interviews (Rubin and Babbie, 2009).
The use of qualitative data helps in offering a tradeoff between the impersonal nature of observation methods of data collection and the material information provided by the research participants. According to scholars of research, typical methods utilized by researchers in obtaining succinct and valid information include participant observation, open interviews, and collection of stories.
Further, the methodology of the research article provides the groups that the research approached in obtaining the data. The research article displays the forms of data manipulation and analysis through triangulation (Sherri, and Jackson, 2008).
The process and procedures of analyzing research data are critical in the success of any study. This element allows researchers to arrive at the study results. The article has outlined the study methods used in the analysis of data using visual analysis of plotted data. Therefore, because the study involved single-case designs, this method was the most appropriate (Coughlan and Cronin, 2007).
The researchers of this article managed to discuss results of the, which allows for easy understanding. Data has been discussed to give it a finer comprehension for readers with no technical knowledge of data interpretation. It is essential to investigate the approaches used in sampling to enable an individual reader to make logical judgments about the accuracy, validity and reliability of the data (Payne & Payne, 2004).
Although the researcher conducts data analysis, no tabulation of results has been done to give an average reader an opportunity for easy understanding. Data analysis is usually a difficult section for most readers with little knowledge about the techniques of data analysis.
Therefore, this section should be presented to draw the attention of the reader by providing first-hand information in a summary format (Sherri and Jackson, 2008. The researcher would have summarized his results in a table to enable readers to make valuable inferences based on the summary, which are generally easy to understand.
The research article by excels as a descriptive analytical research utilizing previously used data and literature to illuminate on the topic. This affords the readers and future researchers an opportunity to gain from the clear information gotten from the analysis.
The method applied by the article suits the study phenomenon of street children’s strategies of survival along Russian streets of Moscow. A logical and elaborate selection of previous data and other research information serve to depict its relevance in terms of scope and timing of the research (Rubin and Babbie, 2009).
The discussion section of a research is essential in clarifying the results of the study. The discussion is critical because it ensures that the results and findings of the study are reported in a manner that is easy to be understood by an average reader. Thus, it is vital for researchers remain keen to ensure that they discuss the research findings with clarity and simplicity (Payne & Payne, 2004).
This section has an elaborate discussion of the findings of the study that makes it easy to comprehend. In a study conducted by Svetlana (2001), the article considered the elements of generalization as well as the weaknesses, and strengths of the study.
The researcher needed to have provided readers with recommendations about the need for future research. Svetlana (2001) has offered an in-depth discussion of the research data, which can enable an individual to make appropriate inferences based on the findings.
Results of the study show that street children in Moscow utilize their social skills and relevant sub cultural norms and value systems to generate alternative careers. Findings of the study indicate that children’s socio-economic backgrounds play sufficient roles in generating impetus for urban informal economy. Therefore, the researcher demystifies some of the general beliefs about street children and proposes a new perception.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the researcher, using his results suggests that street children in Moscow can be viewed as part of the extensive social phenomenon that defines a new urban poor setting in post-communist countries. The results of the study indicate that the problem of street children and “run-a ways” is a result of social exclusion facing societies today.
The article suggests that the complexities observed among street children and their ability to develop different strata should be taken to understand the dynamics of the society.
Therefore, these findings propose that efforts to solve challenges of street children, especially in Moscow should understand various factors as independent, but interrelated elements that need comprehensive strategies to deliver feasible solutions. in general, the article has achieved most of the components that are critical to establishing a good research.
However, the researcher should have considered some of the elements noted, including ethical issues, and larger sample.
References
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Bulmer, M., 1982. Social research ethics: an examination of the merits of covert participant observation, Holmes & Meier Publishers, New York.
Coughlan, M., Cronin, P& Ryan, F., 2007. ‘Step-by-step guide to critiquing research. Part1: quantitative research. British Journal of Nursing, l.16, (11): 658-663.
David, M., and Sutton. C.D., 2011. Social Research: An Introduction, Sage Publications Ltd., London
Gilbert, N., 2001. Researching Social Life, Sage Publications, London.
Locke, T., 2004. Critical discourse analysis, Continuum International Publishing Group, New York:
Marwick, D.P., & Uniger, C. H., 1975. The Sample Survey. Theory and Practice, Mc.Graw Hill Book Co., New York.
Payne, G. & Payne, J., 2004. Key Concepts in Social Research, SAGE Publication, London.
Renzetti, C.M., and Lee, R., 1993. Researching Sensitive Topics. London: Sage.
Rubin, A., and Babbie, E.R., 2009. Essential Research Methods for Social Work, New York: Cengage Learning.
Sherri L., and Jackson, S.L., 2008. Research Methods and Statistics: A Critical Thinking Approach, Cengage Learning, New York.