Research Methods

Question 1

Practical advantage of questionnaires

Answer 1

.do not need to train interviewers
.Quick and easy to quantify data
.maintains detachment and objectivity
.easy to process by computers
.identify patterns and trends quicker

Question 2

Practical disadvantage of questionnaires

Answer 2

.limited and superficial data
.lacks flexibility

Question 3

Ethical advantage of questionnaires

Answer 3

.ethically sound when anonymous
.no obligation to answer
.informed consent is gained

Question 4

Ethical disadvantage of questionnaires

Answer 4

.difficult to explore sensitive issues

Question 5

Theoretical advantage of questionnaires

Answer 5

.high in reliability
.highly structured
.quantitative data
.can easily be repeated

Question 6

Theoretical disadvantage of questionnaires

Answer 6

.detached nature
.lack of contact
.no clarification for misunderstandings
.cannot gain verstehen

Question 7

Practical advantage of laboratory’s

Answer 7

.quick especially for small scale research
.cheap as only lab is needed

Question 8

Practical disadvantage for laboratories

Answer 8

.society is a complex phenomenon
.can’t control all variables
.cannot be used to study the past

Question 9

Ethical advantage of laboratories

Answer 9

.consent is given by attendance
.debriefs after the study
.milgrams study
.alert to dangers of following authority

Question 10

Ethical disadvantage of laboratories

Answer 10

.lack of informed consent
.do not know the true aim of study
.may harm or distress

Question 11

Theoretical advantage of laboratories

Answer 11

.positivists favour
.high in reliability
.can be repeated
.objective so no researcher bias

Question 12

Theoretical disadvantage of laboratories

Answer 12

.interpretevists dislike
.quantities data lacks vertehen/depth
.Hawthorne affect
.lacks ecological validity

Question 13

Practical advantage of field experiments

Answer 13

.natural, real-life environment
.more likely to gain valid data
.easier to gain access

Question 14

Practical disadvantage of field experiments

Answer 14

.complex problems cannot be studied
.less control
.cannot be sure if causes are corrected

Question 15

Ethical advantage of field experiments

Answer 15

.debrief after study to reduce harm
.alert to dangers (milgram)
.learn things of lasting value

Question 16

Ethical disadvantage of using field experiments

Answer 16

.informed consent not always gained
.deception- participants are lied to
.spurters study

Question 17

Theoretical advantage of field experiment

Answer 17

.positivists favour
.natural, valid, and realistic environment
.High in reliability
.easy to repeat

Question 18

Theoretical disadvantage of field experiments

Answer 18

.interpretevists dislike
.lacks verstehen and depth
.hard to control
.difficult to identify causes

Question 19

practical advantage of structured interviews

Answer 19

.quick and cheap to administer
.can cover large numbers
.eg- British crime survey
.easily quantified as closed ended questions

Question 20

practical disadvantage of structured interviews

Answer 20

.time-consuming
.more costly as paying interviewers
.interviews are slow

Question 21

ethical advantage of using structured interviews

Answer 21

.no obligation to answer sensitive questions
.can guarantee anonymity
.informed consent is gained

Question 22

ethical disadvantage of using structured interviews

Answer 22

.cant explore sensitive or personal topics
.cannot establish rapport or trust

Question 23

theoretical advantage of using structured interviews

Answer 23

.Positivists favour as quantitative data
.high response rate
.high in reliability
.limited interviewer bias

Question 24

theoretical disadvantage of using structured interviews

Answer 24

.Interpretivists dislike as they’re closed-ended
.lack verstehen as cannot elaborate
.data obtained may not be valid

Question 25

practical advantage of unstructured interviews

Answer 25

.informal nature allows a rapport .can check each others understanding .highly flexible questions

Question 26

practical disadvantage of unstructured interviews

Answer 26

.time-consuming .interviewers need training .interviewers need good interpersonal skills

Question 27

ethical advantage of unstructured interviews

Answer 27

.can gain trust of interviewee .don't have to reveal what they don't want to .informed consent is gained

Question 28

ethical disadvantage of unstructured interviews

Answer 28

.uncomfortable when face-to-face .psychological harm may occur .have to recall negative experiences

Question 29

theoretical advantage of unstructured interviews

Answer 29

.interpretivists favour as greater freedom .can gain verstehen and a rapport .flexibility increases validity

Question 30

theoretical disadvantage of unstructured interviews

Answer 30

.positivists dislike as they're unstructured .low reliability as hard to repeat .Hawthorne Effect

Question 31

practical advantage of group interviews

Answer 31

.less time-consuming .can generate initial ideas

Question 32

practical disadvantage of group interviews

Answer 32

.long time to analyse data .large groups are difficult to control .loud characters .hard to keep group focused

Question 33

ethical advantage of group interviews

Answer 33

.informed consent is gained .can observe group dynamics and norms .creates a safe peer environment

Question 34

ethical disadvantage of group interviews

Answer 34

.can be uncomfortable for interviewees .feel they can't withdraw from interview .peer pressure in group

Question 35

Theoretical advantage of group interviews

Answer 35

.interpretivists favour- qualitative data .can build verstehen and rapport .flexibility to explore new ideas

Question 36

Theoretical disadvantage of group interviews

Answer 36

.Positivists dislike .Hawthorne effect .may not be representative

Question 37

practical advantage of participant observations

Answer 37

.interviewer gains first-hand knowledge .can build a rapport .can ask naive but important questions

Question 38

practical disadvantage of participant observations

Answer 38

.difficult to get in, stay in, get out (covert) .threats to personal safety .groups may refuse researcher to observe

Question 39

ethical advantage of participant observations

Answer 39

.overt means no deception or illegal activity .debrief after study .anonymity can be ensured

Question 40

ethical disadvantage of participant observations

Answer 40

.deception .lack of informed consent .may lead to immoral behaviour

Question 41

theoretical advantage of participant observations

Answer 41

.interpretivists favour- more valid .less likely to have Hawthorne effect .qualitative data is detailed .see the world through eyes of the group

Question 42

theoretical disadvantage of participant observations

Answer 42

.positivists dislike .lack structure and reliability .Hawthorne effect

Question 43

practical advantage of non-participant observation

Answer 43

.if structured it can be conducted quicker .people wont be effected by researcher .natural setting so can gain access

Question 44

practical disadvantage of non-participant observation

Answer 44

.difficult to gain access (criminal gangs) .time consuming .takes time to see their true behaviour

Question 45

ethical advantage of non-participant observation

Answer 45

.gains informed consent .safer for the researcher .don't have to worry about cover being blown

Question 46

ethical disadvantage of non-participant observation

Answer 46

.may not have informed consent .unwilling to co-operate

Question 47

theoretical advantage of non-participant observation

Answer 47

.Positivists favour .structured and reliable .no going native

Question 48

theoretical disadvantage of non-participant observation

Answer 48

.interpretivists dislike as no involvement .no verstehen .hawthorne effect

Question 49

practical advantage of official statistics

Answer 49

..easily accessible .allow comparisons between groups .collected regularly- show trends over time

Question 50

practical disadvantage of official statistics

Answer 50

.definitions used by governments are different .government can manipulate statistics .police statistics underestimate

Question 51

ethical advantage of official statistics

Answer 51

.no harm to participants .detached nature

Question 52

ethical disadvantage of official statistics

Answer 52

.inappropriate to study suicide or dv .dehumanising

Question 53

theoretical disadvantage of official statistics

Answer 53

.interpretivists dislike .no verstehen .issues of validity

Question 54

theoretical advantage of official statistics

Answer 54

.positivists favour .high in reliability .large numbers so representative

Question 55

practical advantage of documents

Answer 55

.historical documents are useful for the past .cheap as already gathered .saves time

Question 56

practical disadvantage of documents

Answer 56

.may lack authenticity .some cant be accessed (Anne frank) .some docs can be held back for 30 years

Question 57

ethical advantage of documents

Answer 57

.produced by someone else .few ethical concerns .do not need informed consent

Question 58

ethical disadvantage of documents

Answer 58

.dead people cannot give consent .impacts family and friends .personal docs need informed consent

Question 59

theoretical advantage of documents

Answer 59

.interpretivists favour .vertehen . high in validity

Question 60

theoretical disadvantage of documents

Answer 60

.positivists dislike as unrepresentative .unstandardised and not reliable .hoax documents

Question 61

practical advantage of content analysis

Answer 61

.easy access eg newspapers .cheap as already exist .enables discovery of new things

Question 62

practical disadvantage of content analysis

Answer 62

.time consuming if qualitative

Question 63

ethical advantage of content analysis

Answer 63

.serves public interest .no participants so no harm

Question 64

theoretical advantage of content analysis

Answer 64

.interpretivists favour as depth as data .high in reliability .quantitative data

Question 65

theoretical disadvantage of content analysis

Answer 65

.positivists dislike .based on subjective interpretation- no validity