Sociology: methods in context (copy)

qualitative data

interpretive data, more in depth

quantative data

numbers based data

positivism

approach research in the same way as the natural sciences. It should be objective and logical.

interpretivism

to understand the world you need to be empathetic in order to understand the meanings attached to action.

Primary research

Collected first hand with the purpose of using for that specific research

Secondary research

Pre existing data that can be used for research

reliable

repeatable

valid

measure what it sets out to do, paints a true picture and reflects reality

research population

the group of people that you wish to study.

sample

those who are taking part in your study.

generability

the extent to which their findings can be applied to the larger population of which their sample was a part.

representative

the extent to which a sample mirrors a researcher's target population and reflects its characteristics

snowball sampling

research participants are asked to identify other potential subjects and so on

quota sampling

when the sample has to be selected from a certain quota

Cluster sampling

households may be randomly selected

random sampling

everyone has equal chance of being chosen

stratified sampling

random sample taken from particular social categories

systematic sampling

every nth person is chosen from a sampling frame

Practical issues

• funding

• time

• access and opportunity

• skills and characteristics of researcher

Ethical issues

• legality

• avoiding harm to participants and others

• confidentiality

• deception

• consent

theoretical issues

• imposition problem

• validity

• reliability

• positivism

• interpretivism