Research Methods Flashcards

Question

Pilot study

Answer 1

A small scale trial run before the main study to iron out any problems with wording / questions / interviewer technique

Answer 2

A sample is representative if it shares the same characteristics as the population under study which means results might enable generalisations about a wider population - positivists

Answer 3

Every nth person is chosen from a sampling frame Strength : used for very large samples, it provides the best chance of an unbiased representative sample Weakness : in some situations using a system to select the participants can make the sample biased eg 10th person may be male

Answer 4

A random sample is taken from particular social categories eg age gender race etc which make up population being studied. Strength - deliberate effort is made to make the sampling representative of target population Weakness - it can be time consuming as the sub-categories to be identified and participants calculated

Answer 5

Mainly used for market researchers in the street eg the may stop and interview a certain number of people eg housewives ages 25-40 y/o Strength - deliberate effort is made to make sample representative of target population Weakness - it can be time consuming as the subcategories have to be identified and proportions calculated. There might be bias in the sample making it unrepresentative because researchers just ask people until they have enough

Answer 6

Strength - quick convenient and economical. A most common type of sampling in practice Weakness- very unrepresentative sample, often biased by researcher who will likely chose people who are ‘helpful’

Answer 7

Strength - a useful way of finding participants with a certain attribute (eg. They are a member of a cult or a drug user who might not wish to be found otherwise) Weakness - can be very biased, people with more friends are more likely to be selected as participants. Some people might not want to be ‘found’ by sociologists

Answer 8

Social characteristics - CAGE Personal characteristics- body language, tone of voice, style of dress, appearance Status differences Leading questions

Answer 9

Lots of information quickly (cheaper) Group dynamics helps respondents relax/open up More natural behaviour than a private interview (validity) Can observe group interactions

Answer 10

``` High response rate Can build a rapport with the respondent Free flowing and more relaxed Explore new ideas (less restricted) High in validity Can probe for details ```

Answer 11

``` High response rate Quick to complete High in reliability (closed standardised Qs) Data easy to quantify Lessens interviews bias Useful in finding factual data ```

Answer 12

Can build a rapport with respondent more easily than structured interviews Flexible but still structured to some extent (keeps focus) Increases both reliability and validity (open and closed Qs) Helps find balance between objectivity and subjectivity High response rate

Answer 13

No structure go off point less reliable Small scale unrepresentative Difficult to quantify qualitative responses Interviewed needs to be highly skilled Time consuming Interviewer bias - leading Qs socially acceptable responses CAGE of interviewer Highly subjective (value - laden)

Answer 14

``` Difficult to compare and quantify 2 types of data (non compatible) Time consuming compared to structured Still restricts responses Never fully reliable or valid Still chance of interviewer bias ```

Answer 15

Difficult to analyse results Difficult to build individual rapport Each focus group is so unique so results unreliable Small sample so unrepresentative Group dynamics means respondents might blend in or exaggerate / lie or dominate or conform = invalid

Answer 16

``` Interview schedule is restrictive Lack of probing means lack of detail Lacks validity Still a chance of interviewer bias Imposition problem (researcher decided the Qs and responses) ```

Answer 17

This is when people behave differently when they know they are being studied. There by undermining the validity of the study

Answer 18

Covert - undercover researcher Overt - open honest researcher ``` Issues : Joining group / access Recording Info Maintaining objectivity Ethical concerns Grounded theory / hypothesis formation ```

Answer 19

Enables sociologists to study otherwise hard to reach groups. Detailed qualitative data can be obtained The data records what actually happens, does not rely on respondents answering questions honestly.

Answer 20

Researcher has to rely on memory of events who said what, accuracy ? Biased? Practical problem of gaining access to group Have to be careful not to draw too much attention have to gain trust Significant ethical issues - consent - deception Issue of safety if involved in illegal behaviour

Answer 21

The ethical issues of deception and obtaining consent are resolved The researcher can ask questions openly without fear of giving the game away Record making and note taking is easier making data more accurate

Answer 22

The Hawthorne effect is more likely to occur if group is aware of presence and purpose of researcher The question of how far the researcher should become involved especially in deviant activities remain

Answer 23

Easier to make a record of what is happening Ethical issues of deception and consent resolved Researchers can ask questions openly Allows collection of quantitative data as well as qualitative data Researcher is not likely to be involved in behaving illegally

Answer 24

In every day life we do it expect those we are with to be taking notes or recording events. Affects usefulness of research - Hawthorne effect By remaining on the edge researchers are not fully experiencing the groups life - could undermine research