What is the goal of sociological research process in other words the endpoint...It's either a)data or B)a research article in a peer reviewed journal?

The goal? What you want to end up with?

One of these helps you reach the goal, and one of them IS the goal. Which is which?

**data
**research article

whatever that doesnt help goodbye

If you are unwilling to take a question apart, make sure you are confident of every single word in it, and read and understand it all, then you will have a tough time in your schooling.

This is a very simple question -- basically, which comes first? You have to have data (facts, details, information) before you can plan and write a research paper based on that data. Therefore, the data comes first, and the research article (paper) comes next.

Think, read, understand, think some more.

The goal of the sociological research process is to gain knowledge and understanding about social phenomena. While the endpoint can vary depending on the specific research project and its objectives, it typically leads to a combination of data and a research article in a peer-reviewed journal.

To accomplish this, sociological research often goes through several stages:

1. Defining the research question: In this stage, researchers clearly articulate the specific topic or issue they want to investigate.

2. Reviewing existing literature: Researchers then review previous studies and scholarly articles related to their research question. This helps them build upon existing knowledge and identify gaps in the current understanding of the topic.

3. Formulating a research design: Researchers develop a plan outlining the methods they will use to gather data. This may include surveys, interviews, observations, experiments, or analysis of existing data.

4. Data collection: In this stage, researchers collect data based on their chosen research design. This can involve conducting surveys, interviews, or observations, or analyzing existing data sources.

5. Data analysis: Once the data is collected, researchers employ various statistical or qualitative techniques to analyze and make sense of the data they have gathered.

6. Drawing conclusions: Based on the findings from the data analysis, researchers draw conclusions related to their research question and determine the implications of their research.

7. Dissemination of results: To share their findings with the broader academic community and contribute to the sociological knowledge base, researchers typically publish their research in a peer-reviewed journal. The research article undergoes rigorous evaluation by experts in the field before it is accepted for publication.

So, to answer your question, the endpoint of the sociological research process can be considered a combination of data (gathered during the research process) and a research article in a peer-reviewed journal (where the research findings are formally published for widespread dissemination and discussion among scholars). However, it's important to note that research can also lead to other outcomes such as reports, books, presentations, or policy recommendations, depending on the goals and context of the research project.