Research Methods Flashcards
Research Methods
Qualitative Data
Data with textual information
Quantitative Data
Numerical Data repeated easily
Validity
True and honest insight into social reality, accuracy
Reliability
Research is replicable and consistent
Generalisability
Makes claims about a wider target population
Representativeness
Fair reflection of target population and all characteristics
Operationalisation
Define concept and making it measurable
Primary Data
Information directly collected from the sociologist purpose of research
Secondary Data
Information collected from other sources
Hawthorne effect
Someone is being observed they may change their behaviour if they know someone is watching
Confirmation Bias
To search for/interpret information in a way that confirms one’s prior beliefs.
Interpretation Bias
An information processing bias where a researcher may interpret the data in a way that the participant did not intend.
Rapport
Ease of the relationship between people - in this case a researcher and their subjects.
Positivism
Patterns/trends: data changes in a predictable pattern (e.g. is it increasing? Decreasing? Differences between areas/groups etc).
Objectivity: a researcher must not allow their values, bias or views to impact on their research, analysis or findings. To be reliable and to be considered scientific, objectivity is paramount.
Value Freedom: ability of researchers to keep their own personal biases and opinions out of the research which they are conducting.
Quantitative Data: expressed in numerical form on graphs. Patterns and trends of human behaviour shown in statistics can be observed and compared to establish correlations (cause and effect).
Reliability
Interpretivism
Meanings & experiences: evidence should include the subjective views, opinions, emotions of participants (i.e. things they cannot necessarily be directly observes). Validity
Verstehen: Empathetic understanding
Rapport: the ease of a relationship between people and, in the case of sociological research, between a researcher and their subjects
Subjectivity: Affected by personal feelings, prejudices and interpretations. Interpretivists are interested in the subjective views of people
Researcher imposition: when researchers (intentionallt or unintentionally) impose their views on the people being researched and so the study does not reflect what the participants thing
Reflexivity: It is a form of self evaluation that involves the researcher reflecting critically on how they organise the research process, their experience of it and how a range of influences might have positively or negatively affected the validity of their findings.
Qualitative Data: form of words not numbers. Methods that allow for data to be based on the participants ‘speaking for themselves’
Practicalities of Sociological Research
Time, Cost, Access and size of sample
Ethics of sociological research
Confidentiality, Privacy, Anonymity, Right to withdraw, Avoiding harm to participants, Protecting venerable groups, Informed consent, Ensuing legality, Safeguarding.
Random sampling and Systematic sampling: Strengths?
Everyone has the same chance if repeated
Reliable
No researcher bias
Preferred by Positivists because of its scientific, objective nature - Reliable
Random Sampling and Systematic sampling: Weaknesses?
Time consuming, people may pull out by the time research is carried out –
Lowers representativeness and generalisability
The sampling frame won’t always provide useful information (E.g. gender, class) therefore can be biased –
Lowers representativeness and generalisability
Can lack representativeness if a greater number of one type of person is picked.
Stratified Sampling: Strengths?
Can ensure that each group is represented –
Representative
Not biased - Representativeness
Preferred by Positivists because of its scientific, objective nature - Reliable
Stratified Sampling: Weaknesses?v
Time consuming, people may pull out – Lowers representativeness and generalisability
Sampling frame may not give specific groups to include – Lowers representativeness and generalisability
If some groups have a large number of people then they are more likely to be chosen/biased – Lowers representativeness and generalisedability
Non Random Quota Sampling: Strengths?
Useful when there is no sampling frame
More representative than other non-random samples – Target a range of groups - Representative
Easy to set targets
Non Random Quota Sampling: Weaknesses?
Researcher may be biased towards a certain group – Lowers representativeness
No sampling frame, less scientific, more difficult to repeat - Lowers reliability
Numbers needed may not be representative of target population.
Non Random Snowball Sampling: Strengths?
Useful when there is no sampling frame
Good to use for studies with difficult groups to access or a specific type of person - Validity and Representativeness
Easy if one person acts as a gatekeeper, allows access and can build up a rapport - Validity
