Researching Pupils

• Why is the methods in context section difficult for students?

  It requires simultaneous consideration of multiple factors
• What must students know about conducting research?

  Strengths and limitations of different methods
• What issues in education should students understand for research?

  Different issues affecting education
• What characteristics of pupils should researchers consider?

  Social class, gender, and ethnicity
• How might working class students differ from middle class students?

  They may be more anti-school and fatalistic
• What gender issues might affect girls in education?

  Subject choices and treatment from boys
• Why might boys be less likely to participate in research?

  Fear of being mocked by peers
• How does ethnicity influence pupil compliance in research?

  Some groups may be more compliant than others
• What did Labov find regarding black pupils and researchers?

  They respond better to researchers of their own ethnicity
• What is a practical issue researchers face when studying students?

  Access and parental consent are required
• How might a negative portrayal of a school affect research access?

  Gatekeepers may limit access to researchers
• How might pupils perceive researchers?

  As teachers in disguise
• What is the impact of developing rapport with students?

  It may influence pupils' honest responses
• What is a time-related issue for researchers?

  Accessing students during busy schedules
• Why is sample size important in research?

  To ensure findings are generalizable
• What ethical issues arise when researching sensitive topics?

  Researchers must be sensitive to students' feelings
• What is the duty of researchers regarding protection from harm?

  To ensure students' physical and emotional well-being
• What is a risk of developing trust with students?

  Potential harm from reporting findings
• Why is anonymity important in research?

  To protect pupils from ridicule or repercussions
• What is a theoretical issue regarding the validity of information?

  Pupil behavior may change in different settings
• How does reliability affect research findings?

  Unique student experiences may yield different results
• How might sociologists' values influence their research?

  Values may affect interpretations of interactions
• What is representativeness in research?

  Finding a sample that reflects the population
• What methods are commonly used in researching pupils?

  • Unstructured interviews (e.g., Archer)
  • Covert and overt observations
  • Questionnaires (e.g., Sullivan)
  • Official statistics
  • Methodological pluralism or triangulation
• What is the benefit of unstructured interviews in research?

  They allow rapport and deeper insights
• What ethical issues are associated with covert observations?

  They may violate students' privacy rights
• What is the Hawthorne effect in research?

  Pupils may change behavior when observed
• Why might questionnaires require further research?

  To understand meanings and motivations behind actions
• What do unofficial statistics provide in educational research?

  A broad view of trends in education
• What is methodological pluralism?

  Combining multiple research methods
• What are the key considerations when researching pupils?

  • Practical issues: access, time, sample size
  • Ethical issues: protection from harm, anonymity
  • Theoretical issues: validity, reliability, representativeness