Research methods

Question 1

What are closed questionaries?

Answer 1

Questions with a limited number of possible responses (“yes” or “no”) Closed questions help to make data easier to analyse and more reliable. Restricting responses can impact validity.

Question 2

What type of data do closed questionnaires produce?

Answer 2

Primary, Quantitative data

Question 3

Which type of researcher prefers closed questionaries?

Answer 3

Positivists

Question 4

What are open questionnaires?

Answer 4

Open questions do not limit the possible answers that the responder can give which is generally considered to be higher in validity.

Question 5

What type of data do open questionnaires collect?

Answer 5

Primary, Qualitative data

Question 6

Which type of researcher prefers open questionnaires?

Answer 6

Interpretivists

Question 7

Define structured interviews?

Answer 7

Where the interviewer sticks rigidly to a pre-written set of questions and records the interviewees response. Eg ticking boxes, multiple choice, writing down reasons word for word.

Question 8

What type of data does a structured interview collect?

Answer 8

Primary, Quantitative data

Question 9

Which type of researcher prefers structured interviews?

Answer 9

Positivists

Question 10

Define Unstructured interviews?

Answer 10

Resembles an informal conversation in which the interviewer asks open end questions of respondents. Interviewees trained to build trust and rapport with their interviewees

Question 11

What type of data do Unstructured interviews collect?

Answer 11

Primary, Qualitative data

Question 12

Which type of researcher prefers Unstructured interviews?

Answer 12

Interpretivists

Question 13

Define Participant Observation

Answer 13

Involves the researcher taking an active part in the daily lives of the group being studied. Can be overt or covert.

Question 14

Define Overt Participation Observation

Answer 14

The group being studied knows the researcher is studying them.

Question 15

Define Covert Participation Observation

Answer 15

Researcher takes on a false identity, convincing the group they are one of them and genuine.

Question 16

What type of data does Participant Observation collect?

Answer 16

Primary, Qualitative data

Question 17

Which type of researcher prefers Participant Observations

Answer 17

Interpretivists

Question 18

Define Non-participant observation

Answer 18

A researcher observes a social group without participating in their activities. Can also be overt or covert.

Question 19

Define Overt Non-Participant Observation

Answer 19

Researcher is given consent to observe a group eg a playground or classroom

Question 20

Define Covert Non-Participant Observation

Answer 20

The researcher watches a group without their knowledge eg via CCTV. Critical for ethical reasons as it involves deceit, no informed consent.

Question 21

Define Official Statistics

Answer 21

Gathered by state agencies eg the government, political parties, businesses. Product of accurate and objective counting processes.

Question 22

What type of data is collected from Official statistics?

Answer 22

Secondary, Quantitative data

Question 23

Which type of researcher prefers Official Statistics?

Answer 23

Positivists - see them as scientific as they are the product of well-planned and organised surveys.

Question 24

Define Personal documents - Letters

Answer 24

They record stages in a persons life, give insights into how certain individuals and groups interact and interpret social reality.

Question 25

Define Personal documents - Diaries

Answer 25

Research subjects are sometimes asked to keep diaries about how they spend their time and how they feel about certain activities. Helps with respondent validation

Question 26

What type of data do Personal documents collect?

Answer 26

Secondary, Qualitative data

Question 27

Which type of researcher prefers Personal documents?

Answer 27

Interpretivists

Question 28

Define Public documents - Newspaper articles

Answer 28

Produced by government departments, state agencies as well as charities and other media organisations. May be contemporary or historical.

Question 29

Uses of Public documents

Answer 29

-Background research
-Triangulation approach, helps check reliability and validity of primary research methods
-Content analysis, systematically describing content of documents

Question 30

What type of data do Public documents eg Newspaper articles collect?

Answer 30

Secondary, Qualitative data

Question 31

Which type of researcher prefers Newspaper articles?

Answer 31

Interpretivists

Question 32

Define Laboratory experiments

Answer 32

Allows researchers to manipulate and control different variables that may result in different effects, to compare two different groups.

Question 33

What type of data do Laboratory experiments collect?

Answer 33

Primary, Quantitative data

Question 34

Which researcher type prefers Laboratory experiments?

Answer 34

Positivists

Question 35

Define Field Experiments

Answer 35

Research carried out in a natural environment eg the classroom, playground. Investigation usually covert where participants don’t know they are being studied.

Question 36

What type of data do Field Experiments collect?

Answer 36

Primary, Qualitative data

Question 37

Which researcher prefers Field Experiments?

Answer 37

Interpretivists

Question 38

Define Exam League Tables

Answer 38

Where the Government publishes a report showing which schools are performing well, encourage schools to raise standards.

Question 39

What type of data do Exam League Tables collect?

Answer 39

Secondary, Quantitative data

Question 40

Which type of researcher prefers Exam League Tables?

Answer 40

Positivists

Question 41

Define Divorce statistics

Answer 41

The divorce rate is the number of divorces that happen per every 1,000 people each year.

Question 42

What type of data is collected from Divorce statistics?

Answer 42

Secondary, Quantitative data

Question 43

Which type of researcher prefers Divorce Statistics?

Answer 43

Positivts