Interviews

Wilmott and Young (1973) – Method?

Structured interviews. Studied working-class family life and the shift towards the symmetrical family.

Wilmott and Young – Strength of method?

Standardised questions allowed for easy comparison across a large sample.

Wilmott and Young – Limitation of method?

Lacked qualitative depth on family relationships and meanings.

Crime Survey for England and Wales – Method?

Structured interviews (face-to-face or phone). Measures victimisation, including unreported crime.

CSEW – Strength?

Helps identify the dark figure of crime beyond police statistics.

CSEW – Limitation?

Excludes groups like the homeless or institutionalised; limits representativeness.

Becker (1971) – Method?

Unstructured interviews with teachers about perceptions of students.

Becker – Key finding?

Teachers judged students based on a middle-class “ideal pupil” image.

Becker – Strength?

Revealed hidden attitudes that wouldn’t emerge in structured methods.

Archer – Method?

Semi-structured interviews with working-class students on identity and class.

Archer – Strength?

Rich insights into student perspectives and identity formation.

Archer – Limitation?

Interpretivist data lacks generalisability.

Willis (1977) – Method?

Group interviews and participant observation of 12 working-class boys.

Willis – Key finding?

“The lads” formed an anti-school subculture, rejecting school values.

Willis – Strength?

Combined methods gave deep insight into student resistance.

Willis – Limitation?

Small sample; not generalisable.

Oakley (1981) – Method?

Unstructured interviews with women about housework and motherhood.

Oakley – Strength?

Captured women’s lived experiences in depth and detail.

Oakley – Limitation?

Time-consuming and harder to analyse than structured interviews.

Carlen (1988) – Method?

Unstructured interviews with 39 working-class women offenders.

Carlen – Key finding?

Women turn to crime when class and gender “deals” fail them.

Carlen – Strength?

Gave voice to marginalised women and their lived realities.

Carlen – Limitation?

Small sample limits generalisability.