Theoretical, practical and ethical considerations influencing research

Question 1

PET acronym

Answer 1

Practical issues - like funding, ease of access, time, skills etc
Ethical issues - harmful consequences, consent
Theoretical issues - approach used

Question 2

Ethics definition

Answer 2

principles or ideas about what is morally right or wrong

Question 3

Informed consent definition

Answer 3

where those taking part in a study have agreed to do so, and have given this consent based on a full appreciation and understanding of the nature, aims and purposes of the study, any implications or risks taking part might have, and the uses of any findings of the research

Question 4

Practical issues influencing choice of topic, choice of methods and conduct of research

Answer 4

• ease of access to participants (easier in open settings - public areas - rather than closed settings with restricted access such as schools)
• time and funding available (may limit the scale of research, different research may attract more government funding than others, the government tends to favour quantitative methods)
• availability of existing secondary data
• personal characteristics and skills of the researcher

Question 5

Ethical issues influencing choice of topic, choice of methods and conduct of research

Answer 5

• whether participants have given informed consent
• values and beliefs of the researcher (eg Townsend (1979) saw his study of poverty as very important)
• Researchers’ desire for funding and promotion may influence choice of topic
• Pressure to publish findings and publishing deadlines
• Personal safety of researchers
• confidentiality
• anonymity of participants

Question 6

Theoretical issues influencing choice of topic, choice of methods and conduct of research

Answer 6

• sociological perspective held by researcher (marxist, functionalist, positivist, interpretivist etc)
• functionalists tend to focus on how social institutions contribute to society
• marxists tend to focus on causes and impact of inequality
• feminists focus on gender inequality

Question 7

3 key issues that should be considered in research

Answer 7

validity, reliability and ethics

Question 8

Reliability definition

Answer 8

whether another researcher, if repeating the same method for the same research, would get the same or similar results

Question 9

Validity definition

Answer 9

concerned with notions of truth: how far the findings of the research actually provide a true, genuine, authentic picture of what is being studied

Question 10

Ethics - researchers should consider

Answer 10

• sensitivities of those helping with research (difficult topics)
• findings should be reported accurately and honestly
• physical, social and mental well-being of participants and how research may impact this
• confidentiality and anonymity
• privacy and interests of participants
• informed consent wherever possible

Question 11

Operationalising concepts in social research

Answer 11

a concept is abstract (like class, cultural capital etc) and to research these it is necessary to convert them into something measurable (eg investigating class using measurements of income, health might be operationalised in terms of doctor or hospital visits)