Sociology Research Methods

Miss Pearce Unit 1

what may influence the topic a researcher chooses?

-personal interests

-political beliefs

-funding

-’hot topics’

Qualitative Data

descriptive

not numerical

written or verbal

(diary entries or interview responses)

Quantitative Data

can be counted

statistically analysed

numbers and figures

(census data, birth rates)

Reliability

extent to which a study can be replicated in the same way

obtaining same results repeatedly makes study reliable

Validity

how well a piece of research measures what it claims to be measuring

how well it reflects the reality it claims to represent

case study

a detailed and in depth study of one particular situation

triangulation

using more than one research method to improve validity of a study

longitudinal study

study that takes place over long period of time

pilot study

small scale preliminary study conducted in order to evaluate feasibility of the key steps in a future full scale project

ethnographies

scientific description of peoples and cultures with their customs, habits and mutual differences

practical issues

access to participants

type of data required

subject matter

sample size

cost/funding

research opportunity

ethical issues

confidentiality

privacy

harm

legality

informed consent

deception

gatekeepers

generalisability

the extent to which the research findings can be applied to the whole target population

demand characteristics

participants change their answers or behaviour to what researcher is wanting to hear or see

social desirability

participants consciously or unconsciously change their behaviour in order to seem more socially acceptable

hawthorne effect

participants knowingly or unknowingly change their behaviour when they are being watched by researcher

positivism

systematic

quantitative (comparative data, more objective)

lab + field experiments, surveys

lacks validity, fixed approaches (does not reflect society)

interpretivism

methodological, insight into individual experience

qualitative (subjective, own opinions)

observation, personal documents (secondary data)

higher in validity, meanings and motivations

difficult to replicate, small scale, unscientific

overt observation

participants know they are being watched

covert observation

participants do not know they are being watched

participant observation

researcher is part of situation being observed and actively engages with people 

non participant observation

researcher is not part of situation being observed

example of covert participant observation

tearoom - followed men into everyday lives to see behaviours as to why they have sex in bathrooms with other men

example of overt non- participant observation

ofsted inspectors

example of overt participant

gang leader for a day

joined in with drug gang but no one knew

example of covert non-participant observation

police surveillance

observation practical strengths

flexible

verstehen

observation practical weaknesses

time

cost

reliant on memory

some groups difficult to access

observation ethical strengths

researchers can ensure anonymity

can avoid harm

informed consent possible

avoids deception

observation ethical weaknesses

lack of informed consent in covert

some still feel invasion of privacy

danger to researcher

emotional strain on researcher

observation theoretical strengths

high validity

verstehen

in depth data

access to deviant groups

captures social processes in context

structured interview

questions set in advance

semi structured interview

some questions set in advance

unstructured interview

questions are based on previous response given

group interview

structured or unstructured with more than one participant present

example of unstructured interview

learning to labour

12 working class boys

studied how education prepared working class pupils for the work place

example of semi/unstructured interview

violence against wives

asked about abuse

gave women a voice

researcher could offer support when tackling sensitive topics