Research methods

• What do sociologists do research for?

  To get evidence which helps them understand society
• Why is studying human behavior more complex than studying ants?

  Because human behavior is not as straightforward as that of ants in an ant farm
• What are the three aims of sociologists when collecting and using data?

  1. To make their research reliable and valid
  2. To take a representative sample of the population
  3. To aim for objectivity and avoid bias
• What does reliable research mean?

  Reliable research can be repeated to get the same results
• How does sociological research reliability compare to natural sciences?

  Sociological research isn't generally as reliable as research in the natural sciences
• What is valid data?

  Valid data is a true picture of what the researcher is trying to measure
• Why might reliable data not always be valid?

  Because reliable data can still misrepresent the true picture of what is being measured
• Why might unemployment statistics not provide a true picture of unemployment?

  Because they don't include students who don't work or people unable to work
• What are some reasons why research may not give a true picture?

  Respondents may forget, exaggerate, or lie during interviews
• How can people's attitudes affect the validity of research over time?

  People may change their views and alter their descriptions of the past
• What is a sample in sociological research?

  A sample is a subset of the population that sociologists study
• Why do sociologists aim to make their samples representative?


  To ensure that the sample reflects the population as a whole
• What does it mean to generalize in sociological research?

  To conclude that the results are likely to apply to the entire population
• What is primary data?

  Primary data is collected first-hand by the researcher
• What are some methods used to collect primary data?

  Interviews, questionnaires, observations, or experiments
• What types of data can be generated from primary research?

  Quantitative or qualitative data
• What is a disadvantage of collecting primary data?


  Some methods can be expensive and time-consuming
• What ethical concern is associated with primary data collection?

  Not giving informed consent can be unethical
• How can a researcher's values affect the research process?

  The researcher's values may create bias in the research
• What is secondary data?

  Secondary data is existing information collected by others
• What are some sources of secondary data?

  Official statistics, diaries, letters, memoirs, emails, TV documentaries, and newspapers
• What is an advantage of using secondary data?

  You can quickly and easily collect secondary data
• How can secondary data be useful for comparing societies?

  It allows for easy comparison of different societies
• What is a disadvantage of using secondary data?

  The existing data may not be valid or reliable
• Why might documents used as secondary data not be credible?

  Documents may not be authentic, representative, or credible
• What is a limitation of using secondary data?

  You might not be able to find the information you need
• How can a researcher's values influence the analysis of secondary data?

  The researcher's values might influence their choice of sources and how they analyze the data
• What is quantitative data?

  Quantitative data is based on numbers and statistics
• What are some advantages of using quantitative data in sociological research?

  It allows testing hypotheses and looking for cause-and-effect relationships
• How can quantitative data be visually represented?

  It can easily be put into graphs or charts
• What is a disadvantage of quantitative data?

  Statistics can hide the complexity of categories
• What is a limitation of using quantitative data in understanding behavior?

  Statistics don't provide insight into the meanings and motives behind behavior
• How can quantitative data be politically biased?

  The method may have been chosen to obtain specific data
• What is qualitative data?


  Qualitative data provides a detailed picture of what people do, think, and feel
• What are some advantages of using qualitative data in sociological research?

  It provides insight into social interaction and the meanings behind behavior
• What is a disadvantage of qualitative data?

  Qualitative investigations are difficult to repeat and may not be reliable
• Why might qualitative research present challenges for sociologists?

  Because the research is often on a small scale
• What do positivists say about qualitative results?

  They lack credibility because they are subjective and open to interpretation
• What is the challenge of misinterpretation in qualitative research?

  The researcher can misinterpret the group or individual being studied
• What is one reason why research may not be valid?

  Respondents may forget things or exaggerate