Practical Theoretical Ethical

• What are the main issues in sociological research?

  Practical, ethical, and theoretical issues
• What do practical issues in research focus on?

  Logistics of topic and method selection
• What are some examples of practical issues in research?

  Finance, time, access to participants
• What do ethical issues in research involve?

  Moral considerations before conducting research
• Who informs ethical considerations in sociological research?

  The British Sociological Association
• What is one ethical consideration researchers must ensure?

  Protecting participants from harm
• What is informed consent in research?

  Participants must understand the research purpose
• Why is confidentiality important in research?

  It allows honest disclosure from participants
• What is deception in research?

  Misleading participants about research purposes
• What must researchers ensure regarding harm to participants?

  No physical or psychological harm occurs
• How do theoretical issues influence research?

  They affect topic and methodology choices
• What do structural theorists prefer in research methods?

  Quantitative methods for large-scale views
• What do social action theorists prefer in research methods?

  Qualitative methods that disclose meanings
• What type of research tends to inform social policy?

  Quantitative research
• What is the difference between positivist and interpretivist methods?

  Positivist methods generate quantitative data
• What is reliability in research?

  The ability to replicate and obtain similar results
• What do interpretivists value in research?

  Insight and validity from firsthand experiences
• What is representativeness in research?

  Findings applicable to the wider population
• What do interpretivists prioritize over representativeness?

  Understanding individual viewpoints in society
• What did Goldner suggest is the biggest influence on sociological research?

  Demands of funding bodies
• What are the practical issues to consider in sociological research?

  • Funding sources and their agendas
  • Access to participants
  • Impact of the research
  • Opportunity to conduct research
  • Time required for research
  • Cost of research
  • Sampling methods and permissions
• What ethical considerations must researchers address?

  • Data security and GDPR compliance
  • Confidentiality and anonymity of participants
  • Deception and its necessity
  • Informed consent from participants
  • Avoiding physical or psychological harm
• What theoretical issues influence sociological research?

  • Sociologist's values and perspectives
  • Methodological preferences (quantitative vs qualitative)
  • Purpose of the research (policy vs knowledge)
  • Concerns about reliability and validity
  • Representativeness of research findings