topcis, aims, hypotheses and research questions

Question 1

hypothesis

Answer 1

and informed guess that the researcher thinks might be true and can be tested by breaking it down into aims and objectives

Question 2

operationalising

Answer 2

to operationalise a concept is to define it so that you can accurately measure it
> validity (true + accurate insight)
> so researchers and respondents share the same understanding of what these concepts mean
> if respondents misunderstands = lowers validity - not measure what they want to measure

Question 3

the relationship between sociology and social policy

Answer 3

social problems:
> aspects of social life that cause misery + anxiety
> crime
> research of social problems often funded by gov - don’t always take action

sociological problems:
> any aspect of social life whether normal or deviant is a sociological problem

Question 4

interest and values of researcher

Answer 4

sociologists are attracted to the subject because they feel that some injustice or inequality needs to be corrected
> e.g. feminists - patriarchy is a social problem that needs to be corrected
> however no bias

Question 5

current debates in the world

Answer 5

researchers will be influenced by what is currently fashionable in the academic world
> 1970’s = ‘gold rush’ of feminist research - women entering education and work

Question 6

funding

Answer 6

> sociological research requires funding so the values of those providing the financing may affect the tone of the research
a lot funded by charities + more likely to sponsor those fields
sutton trust = educational matters

Question 7

access to research subjects

Answer 7

some groups have the power to resist the attention of sociologists - over peopled by those who are powerless + the powerful is off limits - majority of powerful studies are taken from secondary sources