Research process

• Research aims


  Sociologists ask important questions about British society and examine the main social institutions and groups such as families schools and the workplace. sociologists begin there research with an aime
• Hypothesis


  Is a testable statement that relates to the aim of the research and it usually the prediction of what sociologist expect
• Operationalising concepts 


  Concepts such as secularisation ( decline of religion) and poverty have to be operationalised e.g broken down into a manner which allows measurements , this is not easy as many sociologists make it difficult to make comparisons
• Pilot studies 


  They are carried out before the actual research topic begins. it is a drafted version of the questionare or interview, like a “trial run”. Based on a small sample, they are usually quick and easy to conduct it allows the researcher to check if the method is appropriate
• reprsentative sample methods

  • random sampling
  • quasi - random sampling
  • Stratified random sampling
  • quota sampling
• non representative sampling

  • Snowballing
  • Opportunity random sampling
  • volunteering sampling
• A random sample 


  each member of the sampling frame has an equal chance of being selected, for example picking a name out of an hate
• Quasi random sample 


  is similar, every 10 or hunder name on the list is selected, however both of these samples and lack of representativness.
• stratified random sample


  this involves dividng the population into strata or sub-populations e.g according to gender, age, ethnicity, a sample is then formed form each stratum
• quota sampling


  often used by those doing market research each interviewer is told to interview an exact number of people from specific categories such as females, teenagers or pensioners
• non representative sampling


  people may refuse to create a representative sample

  impossible to find sampling frame for a particular group e.g criminals

  snowballing samples may be used
• opportunity sampling


  sometimes called convenience sampling, choosing easiest people to acess
• volunteer sampling


  use adverts asking people to come forward and help with research. TV shows do this