Research Methods Key Concept

Qualitative

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.

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.

Primary

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

Secondary

Data that is already collected and available to the sociologists.

Validity

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

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.

Representativeness

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

Generalisability

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

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.

Operationalising

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

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.

Operationalising

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

Gatekeeper

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

Target population

The group of people you want to research.

Random sampling

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

Systematic sampling

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

Stratified sampling

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

Quota sampling

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

Snowball sampling

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

Purposive/opportunity sampling

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

Volunteer sampling

Participants putting themselves forward to be studied.

Positivists

Value freedom and objective.

Interpretivists

Reflexivity, interpretation, subjectivity, verstehen and researcher imposition.

Hawthorne effect

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

Demand characteristics

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

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.

Going native

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

Researcher bias

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

Confirmation bias

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

Interpretation bias

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

Rapport

Ease of the relationship between people.

Time

If a method of data collection is time consuming.

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.

Subject matter of research

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

Social characteristics of researcher and those being researched.

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

Access

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

Confidentiality

Researcher has to keep the respondents private information a secret.

Privacy

Researcher respects the respondents boundaries.

Anonymity

Researcher does not share the identifying details of respondents.

Right to withdraw

Respondents can leave the study.

Avoiding harm to participants

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

Protecting vulnerable groups

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

Informed consent

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

Ensuring legailty

Researcher ensures the research is legal.

Safeguarding

Guarding respondents from harm.

Content analysis

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

Questionnaire/survey

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

Structured interviews

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Ethnography

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

Official statistics

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

Non-official statistics

Quantitative data collected by a non-government source.

Longitudinal

Research