choosing a research method

Question 1

what does P.E.T stand for which must be applied to every method?

Answer 1

Practical considerations (time,cost,money)

Ethical considerations

Theoretical considerations

Question 2

what is the difference between a valid method and a reliable method?

Answer 2

• valid methods produce a true picture of what something is really like
• reliable methods can be repeated and produce similar results each time

Question 3

theoretic influences: what is the definition positivism and interpretivism?

Answer 3

positivism - argue society can be studied using similar techniques to natural sciences (statistics - things that contain emotion)

interpretivism - argue people have personal beliefs, values and interpret the world in different ways (interviews, observations - how individuals react to each other and make sense of the world)

Question 4

what is positivism (expanded) ?

Answer 4

• use quantative methods
• (questionaries / surveys/ experiments - X caused Y to happen)
• want to check for reliability (getting the same results - structure)
• do not study feelings, emotions and motives as they believe they cannot be quantified
• positivists tend to be macro theorists such as marxists and functionalists

Question 5

what is interpretivism (expanded) ?

Answer 5

• believe that behaviour is influenced by the meanings that people give to certain social situations
• they will use qualitive methods to gain a detailed in depth knowledge of the situation they are studying
• instead of collecting statistical data, they want to get involved in the subject
• use research methods that help them to find out how people understand the world around them
• observations and unstructured interviews

Question 6

what are some of the factors that influence the choice of topic?

Answer 6

• a feminist will always choose issues relating to gender inequality
• marxists would choose something to do with class and social inequality
• sociologists may choose something that is seen as important by society
• some topics may be impossible to study. cant find a suitable sample or the relevant information

Question 7

what is a hypothesis?

Answer 7

• untested theory expressed as a statement
• sociologists seek to prove or disprove hypothesis by testing them against evidence
• discover a cause and effect relationship
• positivists prefer to use hypothesis

Question 8

operationalising a hypothesis

Answer 8

• sociology uses abstract concepts such as material and cultural deprivation and you have to decide how to operationalise them
• make these concepts measurable

Question 9

aim to a research project

Answer 9

• identifies what is being studied
• more open minded and collect data on a particular topic
• interpretivists prefer to use an aim

Question 10

what is triangulation?

Answer 10

• the use of two or more methods in one study
• mix an interpretivist and a positivist method into one study
• for example using a large scale survey and an unstructured interview
• gives validity and reliability

Question 11

what is a piolet study?

Answer 11

• a small-scale run conducted before the main study
• a draft questionnaire
• list of interview questions
• to identify problems
• save time and money
• check the questions/responses