THEORY AND METHODS: Research Methods (PET's and Positivism and Interpretivism) Flashcards
Define primary data
- Data collected first hand by researchers themselves for their own purposes.
What methods are commonly used in primary data
- Social surveys
- Participant observation
- Interviews
- Content analysis
- Longitudinal studies
- Experiments
- Case studies
Advantages and disadvantages of primary data
ADV: Can precisely gather the information they need
DISADV: Can be long and costly
Define secondary data
- Already existing data collected by previous or other researchers
What methods are commonly used in secondary data
- Documents
- Diaries
- Official statistics
- Data from social surveys
- Historical documents and evidence
Advantages and disadvantages of secondary data
ADV: Quick and cheap
DISADV: Those who produced it may not have the answers to questions researchers need, so it won’t be providing the exact information needed
Define quantitative data
Information in numerical form or statistics
Give an example of quantitive data
- % of pupils passing GCSE
Define qualitative data
Information that gives a feel of what something is like
- can be written, auditory or visual
Give an example of qualitative data
- What it feels like to get good grades
What is the acronym that affects choice of methods and what does it mean
PET’s
Practical, Ethical, Theoretical issues
What practical issues are there to influence choice of research method
FOTS (P)
- Funding
- opportunity and access to respondents
- Time and money
- Subject matter
(Personal skills and characteristics )
What ethical issues are there to influence choice of research method
CHIRP (V)
- Convert research
- Harm to participants
- Informed consent
- Research should not be law breaking
- Privacy and confidentiality
( Vulnerable groups)
What are the top 5 ethical considerations are there to influence choice of research method
- Deception
- Right to withdraw
- Informed consent
- Protection from psychological and physical harm
- Social sensitivity
Define the term methodological approach (part of theoretical issues)
Sociologists vies on what society is like and how we should study it
Positivists
- Preferred data method
- Main beliefs
- What do they see sociology as
- Examples of sociological theories
- Quantitive data
- Seek patterns of behaviour
- see sociology as science
- Functionalism, Marxism
Interpretivists
- Preferred data method
- Main beliefs
- What do they reject sociology as
- Examples of sociological theories
- Qualitative data
- Seek to understand social actors’ meanings
- Reject the view that sociology can model itself on natural sciences
- Interactionism
What theoretical issues are there to consider when conducting research
- Validity - method that produces a genuine picture of something
- Reliability - Or replicability - should produce the same results
- Representativeness - If the research sample reflects the characteristics of the wider population or if they are a cross-section of the group studied
- Methodological perspective
What 4 factors influence sociologists topic of research
- The sociologists perspective
- Societies values
- Practical factors
- Funding bodies
How does the sociologists perspective influence sociologists topic of research
- Their theoretical perspective has major influence on what topic they want to research
- Eg, a new right researcher might study the effects of welfare benefits on lone-parent families
- Eg, a feminist is more likely to choose a study in domestic violence against women.
How does societies values influence sociologists topic of research
- As the values of the society they live in change, so does the focus of research.
- Eg, in the 1960’s the topic of gender inequality with feminism may have been the focus, whereas today we might be more inclined to study the effects of global warming
How do practical factors influence sociologists topic of research
- Practical factors influence sociologists topic of research in many ways
- Eg, the opportunity (accessibility of their participants)
- Eg, the travel considerations
How do funding bodies influence sociologists topic of research
- Most research requires funding from an external body. As the funding body is paying for the research, it will determine the topic to be investigated.
Define triangulation
- is the use of two or more research methods in a single piece of research to check the reliability and representativeness (and validity) of research evidence.
