Sampling

• What is primary data?


  Information collected by sociologists themselves for their own purposes.
• What are some methods used to collect primary data?

  Social surveys, participant observations, and experiments.
• What is a positive aspect of collecting primary data?


  You can gather precise information.
• What is a negative aspect of collecting primary data?


  It can be costly and time-consuming.
• What is secondary data?


  Information collected or created by someone else, which other sociologists can use.
• What are some sources of secondary data?


  Official statistics and documents like letters and newspapers.
• What is a positive aspect of using secondary data?


  It is quick and cheap to obtain.
• What is a negative aspect of using secondary data?


  It may not provide the exact data needed.
• What is quantitative data?


  Information in a numerical form.
• What are some examples of quantitative data?


  Official statistics, opinion polls, and market research surveys.
• What is qualitative data?


  Information with more open-ended answers that gives a 'feel' for something.
• What are some examples of qualitative data?

  Participant observation, unstructured interviews, and letters.
• What are the practical issues influencing the choice of research methods?


  • Time and money
  • Requirements of funding bodies
  • Personal skills and characteristics
  • Subject matter
  • Research opportunities
• What are the ethical issues in sociological research?

  • Informed consent
  • Confidentiality and privacy
  • Harm to research participants
  • Vulnerable groups
  • Covert research
• What are the theoretical issues in sociological research?


  • Validity
  • Reliability
  • Representativeness
  • Methodological perspective
• What factors influence the choice of research topic?

  The sociologist's perspective, society's values, practical factors, and funding bodies.
• What is the aim in research?


  A statement that identifies what you intend to study.
• What is a hypothesis?


  A possible explanation that can be tested by collecting evidence.
• What does operationalising concepts mean?


  Defining sociological concepts in ways that can be measured.
• What is a pilot study?


  A trial run of the research, such as draft copies of questionnaires.
• Why are samples necessary in research?


  • Researchers rarely have time and money to study everyone.
  • A representative sample allows for more accurate generalizations.
• What is random sampling?


  Everyone in the population has the same chance of being chosen.
• What is a disadvantage of random sampling?


  It could end up not being representative.
• What is systematic sampling?


  Picking every 10th person out of a list.
• What is a disadvantage of systematic sampling?


  It runs the same risks as random sampling of being unrepresentative.
• What is stratified random sampling?


  A method that divides the sample frame into smaller groups to enhance representativeness.
• What is quota sampling?


  A method where researchers ensure the sample meets certain quotas.
• What is a disadvantage of quota sampling?


  It can still be unrepresentative.
• What is non-representative sampling?


  A method used when important characteristics may not be known or participation is refused.
• What is snowball sampling?


  A method where researchers ask participants to find other participants for them.
• What is a benefit of snowball sampling?


  It is useful when sampling is difficult to obtain.