Research Flashcards

Question

Structured interviews

Answer 1

The positivist favoured method of structured interviews involve face-to-face or over-the-phone delivery of a questionnaire. In turn, they use a list of pre-set questions designed by the researcher and asked of all interviewees in the same way.

Answer 2

Practical - training interviewers is easy and cheap Practical - Cheap and easy to administer Representative - can reach a geographically wide research sample Results are easily quantifiable because they use closed-ended questions with coded answers Reliable - the structured process provides a ‘recipe’ for reproducibility

Answer 3

Lack of validity: the use of closed-ended and pre-coded answers may not fit what the interviewee wishes to say Lack of validity: People may lie or exaggerate

Answer 4

The interpretivist favoured method of unstructured interviews mainly ask open-ended questions that produce qualitative data rich in meaning. There is a strong relationship built between the interviewer and the interviewee, which means the data is more likely to be valid.

Answer 5

Rapport - the informality allows the interviewer to develop a relationship with the interviewee Flexibility - the interviewer is not restricted to a fixed set of questions Valid - they are flexible, due to how the conversation is not constrained by fixed questions - people can be more truthful

Answer 6

Practical - time consuming, due to how unstructured interviews are typically longer, and expensive due to training interviewers in sensitivity Unrepresentative - due to small research samples, data obtained is not representative of the wider population Not reliable - due to how the questions are open, they cannot be easily repeated by another researcher. Additionally, the respondent's ability to respond in the way they wish makes it impossible to clarify their responses.

Answer 7

A qualitative method of inquiry that combines a pre-determined set of open questions (questions that prompt discussion) with the opportunity for the interviewer to explore particular themes or responses further.

Answer 8

Large amount of detail generated. Fairly flexible and sensitive. Easier to analyse than unstructured interviews.

Answer 9

Can't guarantee honesty of participants. Cause and effect cannot be inferred. Flexibility of interview may lessen reliability. Open-ended questions are difficult to analyse. Difficult to compare answers.

Answer 10

Observations in sociological research take several different forms; they can either be participant or non-participant, meaning that the researcher is directly involved in one but not the other. Although participating in observations gives a direct insight into social behaviour, this is likely to produce the Hawthorne effect due to how participants are aware they are being studied and will change their behaviour accordingly. Additionally, observations can be either covert or overt; the former means the research group are aware the observation is taking place, whereas the latter means the research group do not know they are being researched.

Answer 11

The researcher joins in the activities of the group they are researching.

Answer 12

Valid- groups are observed in a natural and authentic setting, therefore the data is more likely to be a true account of the group’s behaviour. Valid - data generate is richly detailed and offers insight into social behaviour.

Answer 13

Unreliable - being open-ended and subjective research, there is no fixed procedure or standardised system of measurement and cannot be replicated. Unrepresentative - most participant observations investigate small-scale groups that are not representative of the wider population. Not valid - the Hawthorne effect, due to how the observer is likely to affect the group's behaviour, and the researcher is at risk of ‘going native’, meaning the researcher over-identifies with the group. Ethical issues - it is difficult to ensure anonymity of participants. Practical issues - there are issues with getting into the group, staying in the group and/or leaving the group

Answer 14

The observer avoids any direct involvement with the research group.

Answer 15

Valid - limited risk of the researcher ‘going native’.

Answer 16

Not reliable - each observation will be subjective, and therefore cannot be repeated. Not representative - involves a small-scale research sample.

Answer 17

The researcher explains their research intention to the group, so the research subjects are aware they are being observed.

Answer 18

Less ethical issues than covert because the participants know they're being researched. Higher level of reliability than covert. The observer can openly take notes. Allows researcher to use interview methods too

Answer 19

Practical - Time consuming. Lacks validity - Hawthorne effect. Less reliable - Difficult to repeat. Not always representative.

Answer 20

The researcher keeps their real identity and purpose secret from research subjects.

Answer 21

More valid than overt because there is lack of the Hawthorne effect. Research obtained is more valid because you have a first-hand insight. Find out more in-depth detail about why, who, where, when etc.

Answer 22

Ethical issues - it is immoral to deceive people. Researcher has to gain trust and acceptance (this may be time consuming)

Answer 23

Official statistics are quantitative data collected by government bodies. This method is favoured by positivists because data is quick, cheap and easy to access, and it covers a wide range of social issues.

Answer 24

Practical - cheap, easy to obtain and easy to access. For example, through the Office of National Statistic's website. Collected at regular interviews, so you can compare trends over time. For example, the census is completed every 10 years. Representative - official statistics often cover large groups of people. For example, crime statistics are compiled by police across the entire country

Answer 25

The government collects these statistics for its own benefit, so they may not cover what sociologists specifically want to study. Definitions may be different. For example, what the government considers 'poverty may not be the same as a sociologist

Answer 26

Documents are secondary data, favoured by interpretivists, which are created by individuals, groups and organisations. They mainly contain qualitative data that expresses beliefs and meanings held by an individual and/or organisation. Different types of documents include personal private documents and historical documents

Answer 27

Personal documents take the form of diaries, memoirs, autobiographies and letters

Answer 28

Valid - Written for personal purposes so will have a high degree of validity and provide an in-depth and genuine insight into people's attitudes. Practical - They are cheap and save researcher's time. Illuminates many areas of social life. Can be used to confirm or question other interpretations and accounts

Answer 29

Some groups are unlikely to produce personal documents such as letters and diaries and so their views aren't represented while those with time and literacy skills may be over represented. Personal documents such as letters are written with an audience in mind and may affect what is being recorded. Personal bias is likely to be present.

Answer 30

Historical documents provide evidence from the past.

Answer 31

They allow comparisons over time (for example birth, death and marriage rates) They are useful when assessing the outcomes of various social policies (Eg. raising the school leaving age)

Answer 32

Un-representative - some documents may have been lost or destroyed The validity of the documents are open to question as they may have been written selectively The authenticity of a document is open to question as it might not have been written by the person it is attributed to, therefore undermining its reliability

Answer 33

Education is a unique setting for research and includes specific elements that may change the way in which research is conducted. This will all depend on the theme, the method and the topic involved.

Research Flashcards

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