Research Methods Flashcards
Which data is collected first hand by sociologists?
Primary data
Which data is information used by sociologists that had been collected by someone else?
Secondary data
What is quantitative data?
Information in a numerical form, e.g. GCSE league tables
What is qualitative data?
Information in a written form, goes more in depth, e.g. one student’s account of feels to get certain exam results
What does PET stand for?
Practical Ethical Theoretical
Examples of practical issues?
Time and money, funding bodies, personal skills, gaining access, subject matter, opportunity
Examples of ethical issues?
Informed consent, confidentiality, participants, vulnerable groups, covert research
Examples of theoretical factors?
Validity, reliability, representation, perspective
Is quantitative data an example of positivism or Interpretivism?
Positivism
Is qualitative data an example of positivism or interpretivism?
Interpretivism
What does practical mean?
Issues which affect our ability of carrying out the research
What does ethical mean?
Moral issues of right or wrong
What does theoretical mean?
Positivist or Interpretivist approach
what does it mean to “go native”?
when you become so embedded in research that you effectively join the group you are researching (barker)
covert
when the participants don’t know the research is being carried out
