WHAT FACTORS INFLUENCE A SOCIOLOGISTS CHOICE OF METHOD?

Question 1

Practical considerations

Answer 1

Can the research be done? How easy will it be to research this?

This includes:
> time and money: who will pay, and how long will it take?
> personal characteristics of the researcher/s
> Availability of opportunities to conduct research. Access etc.

Question 2

Ethical considerations

Answer 2

Is this research moral? should they be doing this research?

This includes:
> Obtaining informed consent from participants
> confidentiality and privacy
> will people be harmed by the research?
> are vulnerable groups, like the mentally ill going to be exploited?
> will the researcher lie and deceive people and abuse their trust?

Question 3

Theoretical considerations

Answer 3

Is the research going to be useful?

This includes:
> is the sociologist a positivist or interpretivist?
> will the data be reliable?
> will the data be valid?
> will the data be representative?