research methods*

• what are weaknesses of using interviews?

  • can be time consuming
  • possible interviewer bias
  • social desirability impacts responses
• what are strengths of interviews?

  • can provide highly valid data
  • qualitative method can go into depth
  • practical and flexible
• how is a structured interview different to unstructured?

  • structured: pre-set questions, quantativw data, more standardised
  • unstructured: open ended questions, qualitive data, expresses feelings/opinions
• what is social desirability?

  giving responses / answers based on what you think you should to fit in
• what is a case study?

  in depth investigations of a particular group or social structure
• what is a longitudinal study?

  looks at individuals at various intervals over time
• what is the Hawthorne effect?

  when people act differently when they know they are being watched
• what are practical issues?


  issues about the feasibility of undertaking a study; time, cost, number of researches required
• what are ethical issues?


  issues considered morally wrong
• what is content analysis?

  a research method that tests a hypothesis by interpreting words and images from media
• define mix-method research study?

  where a study design includes multiple methods