Research methods and MIC Flashcards
Positivist key concepts
- scientific
- objective
- value free
- reliable and representative
- quantitative and structured data
Positivist primary methods
- surveys
- questionnaires
- structured interviews
- lab experiments
Positivist secondary methods
- official stats
- public documents
- historical data
- formal and statistical content anaylsis
Positivist theoretical perspective
Macro approach - society influences individual action
Interpretivist key concepts
- subjective
- value laden
- verstehen and valid
- individuals
- qualitative and unstructured data
Interpretivist primary methods
- covert and overt participant observation
- unstructured interviews
- field experiments
Interpretivist secondary methods
- personal documents
- historical documents
- semiology
- content analysis
Interpretivist theoretical perspective
Micro approach - individual action influences society
Practical issues
- Time
- Funding
-Response rate - Skill of researcher
-Access to group
Ethical issues
- Consent
- Anonymity
- Harm: physical or psychological
- Confidentiality
Theoretical issues
- Positivism vs Interpretivism
- Imposition bias
- Interviewer bias
- Hawthorne effect
Advantages of positivist methods (quantitative)
P- easy to replicate and generalise, easy and free to access
E - no harm, participants are aware
T - reliable and representative data, data shows trends
Disadvantages of positivist methods (quantitative)
P- low response rates, can be expensive, limited responses
E- not good for sensitive topics
T - imposition bias, Hawthorne effect
