Choosing a research method Flashcards
What is primary data ?
Data collected by the sociologist themselves for their own purposes
What is secondary data ?
Data that has been collected by someone else for an alternate purpose that the sociologist can still use
What practical issues influence choice of method ?
Time and money
Requirements of funding bodies
personal skills
subject matter
research opportunity
What ethical issues influence choice of method ?
informed consent
confidentiality
covert research
vulnerable groups
harm to research participants
What theoretical issues influence choice of method ?
Validity
reliability
representativeness
methodological perspective (the view of what society is like and how to study it)
conclusion
What factors influence choice of topic ?
sociologists perspective
Societal values
practical factors
funding bodies
What is a pilot study?
A shorter draft of the questions that may be asked to look for any issues with the study, interview, or questions that may be asked
what is a sample ?
A sub-group drawn from the wider group we are interested in, in order to make wider generalisations on the group as a whole
What are some sampling techniques ?
Random sampling
Stratified sampling
systematic sampling
Quota sampling
