Research Methods Key Concept

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57 Terms

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Qualitative

Produces textual information. It can include a great deal of detail and can explore motivations and emotions rather than just empirical descriptions and correlations.

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Quantitative

Produces numerical data that can easily be displayed in a table/graph. It can reveal patterns and trends but cannot reveal the reasons for them.

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Primary

Data the sociologist collects themselves for the purpose of that specific piece of research.

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Secondary

Data that is already collected and available to the sociologists.

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Validity

Refers to research giving a true and accurate picture of what is being studied.

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Reliability

Refers to the extent to which if we were to repeat the method it would produce the same or similar results. The results should be easy to replicate with a different but similar group of people.

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Representativeness

Refers to the extent to which the sample selected is a fair reflection of the target population.

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Generalisability

Refers to the ability to make claims about the wider target population from the research findings.

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Pilot Studies

Small-scale studies that are a ‘practice run’ for the main research. They involve a small sub-sample that the main research tends to use.

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Operationalising

To define a concept so that you can accurately measure it.

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Hypothesis

An informed guess that the researcher thinks might be true and can be tested by breaking it down into aims and objectives. A prediction of what a researcher thinks their research might find.

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Operationalising

To define a concept so that you can accurately measure it.

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Gatekeeper

A point of contact who can put you into contact with the participants you wish to research.

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Target population

The group of people you want to research.

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Random sampling

All people in the target population have an equal chance of being chosen entirely by chance.

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Systematic sampling

Randomly choosing a number 1-10, every nth number is then selected from the sampling frame.

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Stratified sampling

Dividing the research population into a number of sample frames and using systematic random sampling to select a group.

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Quota sampling

Clear idea of the sample they want and where to find it and they will select the required population.

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Snowball sampling

One contact will recruit other participants to get involved in the research.

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Purposive/opportunity sampling

Clear idea of sample and will pick participants to meet criteria.

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Volunteer sampling

Participants putting themselves forward to be studied.

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Positivists

Value freedom and objective.

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Interpretivists

Reflexivity, interpretation, subjectivity, verstehen and researcher imposition.

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Hawthorne effect

Participants will behave differently if they know they are being observed.

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Demand characteristics

Participants change their behaviour based on their interpretation of the aims of the study.

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Social desirability bias

Occurs when parts of the study relate to social norms or expectations, and participants want to present themselves in a socially acceptable way.

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Going native

Where the researcher ceases to balance roles of participant and observer and simply begins to participate like any other group member. R

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Researcher bias

When the researcher’s beliefs or expectations influence the research design or data collection process.

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Confirmation bias

Tendency to search for/interpret information in a way that confirms one’s prior beliefs.

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Interpretation bias

An information processing bias where a researcher may interpret the data in a way that the participant did not intend.

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Rapport

Ease of the relationship between people.

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Time

If a method of data collection is time consuming.

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Cost

If the research requires paying other researchers to assist with the research, if travel is involved or if research is carried out on a large cohort or over a long period of time.

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Subject matter of research

Some areas of social life are easier for researchers to access than others.

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Social characteristics of researcher and those being researched.

Status of the researcher in the eyes of those being studied may impact the research.

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Access

If the target population are difficult to access this may cause problems with the sample.

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Confidentiality

Researcher has to keep the respondents private information a secret.

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Privacy

Researcher respects the respondents boundaries.

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Anonymity

Researcher does not share the identifying details of respondents.

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Right to withdraw

Respondents can leave the study.

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Avoiding harm to participants

Researcher has to make sure the respondents are at no risk of harm.

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Protecting vulnerable groups

Researcher has to make sure the respondents are at no risk of harm.

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Informed consent

Researcher has to ask respondents for their consent to take part in the research and inform them on all information.

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Ensuring legailty

Researcher ensures the research is legal.

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Safeguarding

Guarding respondents from harm.

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Content analysis

Counting the number of times a sign, symbol, word, picture etc is used within a media text.

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Questionnaire/survey

List of questions subject to self-completion and questions can either be open or closed.

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Structured interviews

The researcher reads a list of closed questions and ticks boxes of pre-coded responses.

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Semi-structured interviews

The researcher has some set/pre coded questions however they are able to probe respondents and ask extra questions if need or some semi-structured interviews have some set themes which are then discussed.

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Unstructured interviews

The researcher may have some themes to cover but no predetermined questions or rigid themes that they should follow. These interviews take a conversational flow.

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Focus groups

An unstructured interview directed to a group of respondents who are encouraged to discuss with each other. The interviewer will set up themes and questions and manage the responses from participants.

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Overt/covert non-participant observations

The participant know/don’t know they are being studied but the researcher is not involved with the group being researched.

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Overt/covert participant observations

The participants know/don’t know they are being studied and the researcher is fully involved with the group being researched.

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Ethnography

Involves the researcher immersing themselves into the natural setting of the social group being studied, and participating in and observing their daily activities.

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Official statistics

Quantitative data collected by the government which is often gathered through other research methods.

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Non-official statistics

Quantitative data collected by a non-government source.

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Longitudinal

Research