PET Issues

Issues/factors influencing choice of research method

What are the three types of issues influencing choice of research method?

• practical

• ethical

• theoretical

What are some examples of practical issues?

• time

• money

• funding bodies

• personal skills and characteristics

• subject matter

• research opportunity

• access to participants

What are some examples of ethical issues?

• informed consent

• confidentiality

• danger

• harm

• vulnerability

• deception

What are some examples of theoretical issues?

• reliability

• validity

• representitativeness

Why are time & money practical issues influencing choice of research method?

• different research methods use up various amounts of resources

• the researcher may need to employ people to carry out research, which is expensive

• participant observations, while cheap, take up a lot of time

Why are funding bodies a practical issue influencing choice of research method?

• funding bodies may require different types of data

• the researcher has limited choice

• e.g., Governments like to collect statistical data to inform social policy

Why are personal skills and characteristics a practical issue influencing choice of research method?

• each researcher is different

• the researcher may need to have good observational skills

• patience and good memory may be required

Why is subject matter a practical issue influencing choice of research method?

• the topic may require opinions, feelings, or thoughts

• the topic may require facts and figures

• researching sensitive topics may cause psychological harm for the participants

Why is research opportunity a practical issue influencing choice of research method?

• research opportunities may occur unexpectedly

• time consumption

• the researcher may require more time to plan

Why is consent an ethical issue influencing choice of research method?

• participants should be able to refuse being researched

• the researcher should be honest and open about their research

• informed consent from the participant should be acquired

• participants should be able to opt out of research if they wish to do so

Why is confidentiality an ethical issue influencing choice of research method?

• all participant identities should be kept confidential to prevent any negative effects

• the privacy of the participants should be maintained, protected, and respected

• participants have the right to refuse information

Why are danger & harm ethical issues influencing choice of research method?

• no psychological or physical harm should come to the participants

• participants should not be placed in any illegal or immoral situations

Why is vulnerability an ethical issue influencing choice of research method?

• no psychological or physical harm should come to the participants

• certain topics may be triggering for some participants

• age, gender, ability, ethnicity, physical health, and mental health can all impact a participant’s level of vulnerability

Why is deception an ethical issue influencing choice of research method?

• it is considered unethical to deceive or lie to a participant

• a participant has the right to opt out of the research if they wish to do so

• lack of informed consent

Why is reliability a theoretical issue influencing choice of research method?

• interpretivists value validity over reliability

• reliable data must be reproduceable

Why is validity a theoretical issue influencing choice of research method?

• positivists value reliability over validity

• valid research methods are not repeatable

Why is representativeness a theoretical issue influencing choice of research method?

• representative data displays data from a good cross-section of the group

• if the participant “sample” is a good cross-section of the group, the information obtained from them can be “generalised” to the bigger group