Research Methods

Question 1

What is primary data?

Answer 1

Information collected by sociologists for their own purposes

This type of data is often used to gain a first-hand picture of a group or society or to test a hypothesis.

Question 2

What is secondary data?

Answer 2

Information that has been collected or created by someone else for their own purposes

Sociologists can utilize this data for their own research needs.

Question 3

What are some methods for collecting primary data?

Answer 3

• Social Surveys
• Participant observations
• Experiments

These methods allow sociologists to gather information specifically tailored to their research questions.

Question 4

What are examples of secondary data?

Answer 4

• Official statistics
• Documents (letters, diaries, newspapers, etc.)

Secondary data can provide useful insights but may not align perfectly with sociological research questions.

Question 5

What is an advantage of using primary data?

Answer 5

Can gather precisely the information needed to test the theory/hypothesis

However, it can also be very time-consuming and costly.

Question 6

What is an advantage of using secondary data?

Answer 6

Can be a quick and cheap way of doing research

This makes it appealing for sociologists looking for efficient methods.

Question 7

What is quantitative data?

Answer 7

Information in numerical form

An example includes official statistics on how many girls pass 5 or more GCSEs.

Question 8

What is qualitative data?

Answer 8

Information that gives a feel for what something is like

This type of data can be collected through participant observations or in-depth interviews.

Question 9

Fill in the blank: Qualitative data can be gathered using _______.

Answer 9

participant observations or in-depth interviews

Question 10

True or False: Secondary data is always perfectly aligned with the research questions of sociologists.

Answer 10

False

Those who produce secondary data may not be interested in the same questions as the sociologist.