Definitions

Question 1

What is validity?

Answer 1

A true or genuine picture of what something is really like

Question 2

What is reliability?

Answer 2

Research is reliable if it can be repeated in exactly the same way, and produce exactly the same results

Question 3

What is informed consent?

Answer 3

When participants know the details and true aim of the study and give their full permission to participate

Question 4

What is deception?

Answer 4

Where participants are lied to about some (or all) parts of the study

Question 5

What is representativeness?

Answer 5

Research is representative if the participants mirror the target population

Question 6

What is generalisability?

Answer 6

Research is generalisable if its results can be applied to other scenarios/populations

Question 7

What is objectivity?

Answer 7

The opposite of subjectivity. Research is objective if it is unbiased and is not based on opinion

Question 8

What is subjectivity?

Answer 8

The opposite of objectivity. Research is subjective if it is down to personal opinions/preferences

Question 9

What is positivism?

Answer 9

A theoretical perspective which believes Sociology should be scientific: objective, reliable, representative, macro, and quantitative

Question 10

What is interpretivism?

Answer 10

A theoretical perspective which believes Sociology should NOT be scientific: subjective, valid, micro, qualitative, and with verstehen/empathy

Question 11

What is a micro approach?

Answer 11

Research focussed on small scale samples

Question 12

What is a macro approach?

Answer 12

Research focussed on large scale samples

Question 13

What is a sample?

Answer 13

The group of participants in a study

Question 14

What does PET stand for?

Answer 14

Practical, Ethical, Theoretical. These are the categories for different issues which can affect research

Question 15

What issues would be considered practical?

Answer 15

Accessibility to participants
Resources needed
Time
Requirements of funding bodies
Researchers’ skills and characteristics
Subject matter

Question 16

What do we mean by practical issues?

Answer 16

Anything which will affect our ability to carry out the research

Question 17

What do we mean by ethical issues?

Answer 17

Moral issues of right or wrong

Question 18

What issues would be considered ethical?

Answer 18

Deception
Informed consent
Psychological harm
Sensitive topics
Confidentiality and privacy
Vulnerable groups
Right to withdraw

Question 19

What do we mean by theoretical issues?

Answer 19

Anything which will affect the usefulness of the data. Positivist/interpretivist approach

Question 20

What issues would be considered theoretical?

Answer 20

Validity
Reliability
Representativeness
Objectivity
Subjectivity
Verstehen
Hawthorne effect
Positivism/interpretivism

Question 21

What does accessibility mean?

Answer 21

How easy it is for the researcher to find and contact participants

Question 22

What does “requirements of funding bodies” mean?

Answer 22

Whoever it is that funds the research may have specific requirements, e.g. what or who is researched

Question 23

What does “researcher’s skills & characteristics” mean?

Answer 23

Some research may require the researcher to have specific abilities, or be a certain person. E.g. they may need to speak a certain language, or their gender could make participants feel more/less comfortable

Question 24

What does confidentiality mean?

Answer 24

Not publishing participants’ information, e.g. keeping them anonymous

Question 25

What does privacy mean?

Answer 25

Allowing participants to keep some information to themselves, e.g. not pushing a domestic violence victim to tell you details they may not want to share

Question 26

What does right to withdraw mean?

Answer 26

All participants should be allowed to leave the research whenever they like, and should be allowed to ask their data not to be included even after the study is complete

Question 27

What does verstehen mean?

Answer 27

Empathy/putting yourself in their shoes. Understanding why your participants act and feel the way they do

Question 28

What is the Hawthorne Effect?

Answer 28

People will change their behaviour when they know they're being observed

Question 29

What does social desirability mean?

Answer 29

People will change their answers to questions to try and fit in with what they think is socially acceptable/with what others think Similar to right answerism

Question 30

What is a respondent?

Answer 30

A person that answers a questionnaire

Question 31

What is right answerism?

Answer 31

Where participants provide answers they feel like they should give, rather than what they actually believe Similar to social desirability

Question 32

What is an open question?

Answer 32

A question that allows participants to respond in any way they like (e.g. what do you think about that?)

Question 33

What is a closed question?

Answer 33

A question that has a limited selection of answers (e.g. yes/no questions)

Question 34

What is a leading question?

Answer 34

A question that encourages participants to answer in a certain way (e.g. don't you just hate British weather?)

Question 35

What is an interview schedule?

Answer 35

A set of prepared questions designed to be asked exactly as worded

Question 36

What is researcher/interviewer bias?

Answer 36

Any impact that the researcher can have on the participant, or on the data

Question 37

What is rapport?

Answer 37

A bond or connection of trust and understanding between the researcher and the interviewer

Question 38

What is going native?

Answer 38

When a researcher taking part in a participant observation decides to abandon the researcher and fully join the group they have been observing

Question 39

What is a variable?

Answer 39

A factor that changes (either by design or not)

Question 40

What is an extraneous variable?

Answer 40

A factor which affects an experiment that the researcher cannot control (e.g. the mood of the participant)

Question 41

What is ecological validity?

Answer 41

This represents whether or not an experiment reflects something that would happen in real life/a natural setting

Question 42

What does standardised mean?

Answer 42

Research is standardised if there are set rules/regulations/steps that the research must follow. This makes it very reliable

Question 43

What is the difference between primary and secondary research?

Answer 43

Primary - the researcher collects the data themselves Secondary - the researcher uses someone else's work

Question 44

What is longitudinal research?

Answer 44

Research that is carried out over a long period of time, e.g. the Census is a longitudinal questionnaire which has existed since 1086, and Barker's 'Making a Moonie' took place over 6 years

Question 45

What is triangulation?

Answer 45

All research methods have weaknesses, but by combining methods it is possible to use methods with strengths which cancel out these weaknesses. Triangulation is where at least 3 methods are used to study one particular issue

Question 46

What would an example of triangluation look like?

Answer 46

S = Strength, W = Weakness Participant observation​ S: Verstehen​ W: Subjectivity/bias​ Official statistics​ S: Objectivity​ W: Less representative​ Questionnaires​ S: Highly representative​ W: Lacks verstehen​

Question 47

What is a pilot study?

Answer 47

This involves trying out your study on a trial basis in order to iron out any problems, clarify questions and their working and to give the researcher some practice