Factors affecting choice of Research Method LT1

Question 1

What theoretical factors influence choice of research method ?

Answer 1

Being either Positivist or Interpretivists

Question 2

How do Positivists study sociology ?

Answer 2

. Sociology should be studied scientifically
. They search for casual relationships by following experimental methods

Question 3

What type of data do Positivists favour ?

Answer 3

Quantitative data (Numerical form)
E.g. Official stat, Experiments and social surveys

Question 4

Why do positivists favour Quantitative data ?

Answer 4

Produces reliable, objective, replicable and generalisable

Question 5

What is an example of Positivist research ?

Answer 5

Using official statistics on suicide rates Durkheim developed a ‘Scientific theory’ of suicide - rates relate to social control.

Question 6

How do Interpretivists study sociology ?

Answer 6

. Sociology should not be studied scientifically
. They search for individuals meaning, feelings emotions

Question 7

what type of data do Interpretivists favour ?

Answer 7

Qualitative data (words)
E.g. Informal interviews, observation, personal documents.

Question 8

Why do Interpretivist favour Qualitative data ?

Answer 8

Produces valid, insightful, in depth data

Question 9

What is an example of Interpretivist research ?

Answer 9

Dobash and Debash were able to discover the patriarchal nature of domestic violence through informational interviews.

Question 10

What practical factors influence choice of research methods ?

Answer 10

Topic/Group being studied
Social characteristics of researcher
Time and money
Source of finance

Question 11

How does topic/group being studied influence choice of research ?

Answer 11

. Could be sensitive to or difficult to gain access
. Qualitative methods should be used to build rapport
. E.g. Oakley used interviews to find out women’s childbirth experiences.

Question 12

How does social characteristics of the researcher influence choice of research ?

Answer 12

. Personal skills and traits when mixing with other.
. E.g. A male 30 year old researcher, studying pupil subcultures would find it difficult as the research to pass as a pupil.

Question 13

How does time and money influence choice of research ?

Answer 13

. Could be limited
. Quantitative methods as they are quicker and cheaper
. E.g. BCS carries out structured interviews as they are mostly closed questions

Question 14

How does source of finance influence choice of research ?

Answer 14

. Sources like the home office are favoured
. Qualitative methods as they have more scientific credibility for governments.

Question 15

How do ethical factors influence choice of research ?

Answer 15

. All the major ethical factors
. Makes certain methods such as lab experiments questionable.
. E.g. Serious questions have been raised about Milgram’s experiments as they break ethical guidelines.

Question 16

what factors affect choice of topic ?

Answer 16

Sociologist perspective
Researcher values
society’s values
funding bodies

Question 17

How does a sociologist perspective influence topic choice ?

Answer 17

E.g:
New right might look into effects of increasing wealth fare benefits as welfare dependency is a central to new right thinking.
Feminists might look into domestic violence as thy oppose gender oppression.

Question 18

How does a researchers values influence topic choice ?

Answer 18

Researchers who are concerned about equality might choose a topic like social class differences in education.
E.g. Lisa Mckenzie based her ethnographic study in St Anns an area she grew up.

Question 19

How does society’s values influence topic choice ?

Answer 19

As societies values change so does the focus of sociological research
E.g. the rise in feminism in the 1960’s led to a focus on gender inequality

Question 20

How does funding bodies influence topic choice ?

Answer 20

Sociologist receive their funding from governments which request what the sociologists look into.
E.g. Police may request research into knife crime