FILM ANALYSIS: ERIN BROCKOVICH
GUIDELINES:
Discuss the following in your brief paper (not to exceed three double spaced typed pages). The three pages do not include cover sheet, abstract, or reference pages (see APA for the format for setting up your cover page and reference page/s). Use the areas listed below as headings or topics of each paragraph you write.
Perform a film analysis on “Erin Brockovich” using the format 1-5 below.
Discuss survey research.
- What method was used by the characters in the film to gather data?
- How was a needs assessment conducted by the researcher in the film?
- How was the needs assessment used to obtain information about the prevalence, distribution, and interrelations of variables within the affected population?
- Discuss ethical implications about the researcher’s actions.
FILM ANALYSIS: ERIN BROCKOVICH
Abstract
The filmErin Brockovich(2000) dwells upon a dispute between a companyand a community where people managed to make the organization pay for thecaused harm and change their operations to prevent any negative effects inthe future. The film is an illustration of the implementation of proper researchbased on the major ethical and scientific method principles. The protagonistgathered data and conducted needs assessment effectively, which enabledher to identify variables correctly and measure them. She collected a sufficientamount of sound evidence to support her claims and accusations, as well asmake the company pay the necessary sums to address the aftermaths of itsunethical activities. Erin was an ethical researcher although she was ratherbiased. However, her bias did not have a negative impact on the research.Keywords: survey research, data gathering, needs assessment, ErinBrockovich.
Survey Research
Survey research is widely used in social science, and this method is applied in diverse areas, including but not confined to business, healthcare, and education. This research method enables the investigator to obtain a considerable amount of data within an established period of time (Ruel et al.,2015). Survey research can help in exploring people’s demographic data, attitudes, behavioral patterns, and other aspects. Therefore, this method is utilized in both qualitative and quantitative research designs. In terms of this design, participants respond to a provided set of questions, which can take different forms.
These can be pen-and-paper questionnaires, face-to-face interviews, online questionnaires, and phone surveys. Online surveys are preferable when a large sample is involved, and high flexibility is required. Face-to-face interviews are conducted when the researcher aims at gaining insights into a problem or phenomenon. Two major types of surveys, based on the timescale, exist, which are longitudinal and cross-sectional survey research methods (Ruel et al., 2015). The former is conducted over a considerable amount of time which can be up to several years and even decades.
