Research Methods Flashcards
What is Primary Data?
Information collected by the research, first hand, specific for that research.
What is secondary Data?
Information that has been collected by someone else for their own research, that might not necessarily fit other research purposes.
What is quantitative data?
Information in numerical data. This includes things like statistics and the amount of something. It’s reliable as it’s easy to repeat.
What is qualitative data?
This is data collected in words. Things like interviews and questionnaires are qualitative data. It’s often descriptive and valid as participants have the chance to explain their reasoning.
Practical considerations..
1.Time and money
2.Requirements of funding bodies
3.Personal skills and characteristics
4.Subject matter
5.Research opportunity
Ethical considerations..
1.Informed consent
2.Confidentially and privacy
3.Harm to participants
4.Vulnerable groups
5.Covert research
Theoretical considerations…
1.Validity
2.Reliability
3.Representativeness
What are the two methodological perspectives?
1.Positivists
2.Interpretivists
What is a positivist?
They prefer quantitive data and want to discover patterns in behaviour. This is what functionalists and Marxists believe. Positivists like their research to be reliable and representative;they like it to be scientific.
What is an interpretivist?
They like qualitative data and seek to understand social actor meanings. They reject the idea of sociology being scientific and they value validity. Interactionalists like this perspective.
What is random sampling?
Randomly selecting participants either out of a hat or on a computer random generator so that each member has a chance of being equally selected.
What is Quasi-random sampling?
Choosing every nth person with in a population to be in your research. It’s half randomised but not everyone has an equal chance of being chosen.
What is Stratified sampling?
A method of sampling that involves the division of population into smaller groups.
What is Quota sampling?
This is sampling that is a non probability Method where the researcher creates a sample involving individuals that represent a specific population.
What is snowball sampling?
Sampling in which former participants pick the next person to partake in the research.
