RM 1

Question 1

Types of primary data

Answer 1

Observations, interviews, questionnaires and experiments

Question 2

What is covert

Answer 2

Undercover researcher typically used for deviant groups

Question 3

What is overt

Answer 3

The researcher is open about them being a researcher

Question 4

What is a type of secondary data

Answer 4

The internet e.g social media

Question 5

Non participant

Answer 5

Researcher doesn’t join in the group

Question 6

Qualitative data

Answer 6

Words, meanings, opinions

Question 7

Quantitative data

Answer 7

Numerical data- stats, tables, graphs

Question 8

What is triangulation

Answer 8

Methodological pluralism- using more than one method

Question 9

What does triangulation combine

Answer 9

Quantitative and qualitative data

Question 10

What does triangulation gain

Answer 10

Valid and reliable data

Question 11

What is a longitudinal study

Answer 11

Study conducted on same people at regular intervals

Question 12

Evaluation of longitudinal studies

Answer 12

Identifies Trends/correlations, however, participants may drop out or move away and so may be left without sample

Question 13

process of research design

Answer 13

Choose a topic and formulate a hypothesis/aim

Question 14

What is an aim

Answer 14

An aim identifies what the sociologist intends to study and hopes to find out about from the research

Question 15

What is a hypothesis

Answer 15

A more specific aim, it finds how the IV affects the DV, identifies cause and effect relationships and correlations

Question 16

How is a research topic operationalised

Answer 16

the researcher needs to convert their concept into something measurable, this needs to be agreed before research starts so that everyone is measuring the same definition

Question 17

What is a pilot study

Answer 17

A small scale study that tests the hypothesis and chosen research methods and makes sure questions are clarified and understood

Question 18

What do pilot studies ensure

Answer 18

Observers are collecting relevant, valid and accurate data and that concepts have been operationalised appropriately

Question 19

What happens when a hypothesis is false

Answer 19

We must discard it, which isn’t bad as it shows progress

Question 20

What are hypotheses favored by

Answer 20

Positivists

Question 21

What is an advantage of an aim

Answer 21

It’s more open-ended and doesn’t tie you to a particular hypothesis

Question 22

Why are aims useful

Answer 22

They’re useful at the start of research when we know little about the topic

Question 23

Who favors aims

Answer 23

Interpretivists

Question 24

Sociologists operationalise differently

Answer 24

Can make it hard to compare findings

Question 25

Why are positivists keen to operationalise concepts

Answer 25

Because of the importance they place on creating and testing hypotheses

Question 26

Why are interpretivists not keen to operationalise

Answer 26

They’re more interested in actors meanings and definitions rather than the researchers

Question 27

Young and willmott (1962)

Answer 27

Carried out over 100 pilot interviews to help them decide their study design

Question 28

What can pilot studies reveal

Answer 28

Some questions are badly worded and hard to understand, or that answers are difficult to analyze

Question 29

What do sociologists aim to do

Answer 29

Produce a generalization that applies to all cases of the topic they’re interested in

Question 30

Why must sociologists choose a researcher

Answer 30

Not enough time/money to include whole population

Question 31

What is a sample

Answer 31

A smaller sub-group drawn from the wider group that were interested in

Question 32

What is the purpose of a sample

Answer 32

Ensures those chosen are representative or typical of the research population, including those not participating in the study

Question 33

Who is attracted to samples, why?

Answer 33

Positivists as it makes general, law-like statements about wider social structure

Question 34

What is the sampling frame

Answer 34

A list of all the members of the population were interested in e.g. the electoral register

Question 35

What must the sampling frame be

Answer 35

Complete, accurate, and as up to date as possible

Question 36

What is random sampling

Answer 36

Sample is selected purely by chance and everyone has an equal chance of selection

Question 37

What should a large enough random sample do

Answer 37

Reflect the characteristics of the whole research population, although not all are large enough for this

Question 38

What is quasi-random sampling

Answer 38

Every nth person is selected

Question 39

What is stratified sampling

Answer 39

Breaks down participants in the sampling frame by age, class, gender etc and the sample is then created with the same proportions. E.g. if 20% are under 18, then 20% of sample must be under 18

Question 40

What is quota sampling

Answer 40

Stratified as above, and then researchers are given a quota of specific characteristics that p’s must have, which they must fulfill before the study can start

Question 41

Theoretical issues

Answer 41

Some researchers choose not to do representative sample due to methodological perspective, interpretivists

Question 42

What is a snowball sample

Answer 42

One picks up the sample along the way. P’s asked to suggest someone who may be willing/appropriate for the study. This is particularly useful for hard to reach populations

Question 43

What is a convenience sample

Answer 43

Taking what you can get, often volunteers

Question 44

Practical issues

Answer 44

Social characteristics of population , may be impossible to find an accurate sampling frame, respondents may refuse to participate