The research process and researching education

• What must be decided before designing research?

  The research topic and method
• What is the first stage of the research process?

  Formulating an aim and hypothesis
• What is the difference between an aim and a hypothesis?

  • Aim: Focus of the research, a question
  • Hypothesis: Statement of expectation, a prediction
• Why is having an aim advantageous for researchers?

  It keeps the researcher open-minded
• Why do interpretivists prefer an aim over a hypothesis?

  They seek insight and understanding
• What is an advantage of having a hypothesis?

  It provides a clear focus for research
• Why do positivists prefer a hypothesis?

  It helps measure cause and effect relationships
• What is operationalisation in research?

  Converting concepts into measurable forms
• Why is operationalisation important in sociology?

  Many concepts are abstract and need measurement
• What is an example of an indicator of social class?

  Occupation
• How can social class be operationalised?

  By using indicators like income and education
• What are some operationalised concepts in sociology?

  • Childhood: Age in years
  • Discrimination: Language used (e.g., sexist)
  • Educational underachievement: Number of grade C's at GCSE
  • Deviant: Behaving differently from the majority
  • Material deprivation: Annual income
  • Anti-school subculture: Number of detentions in a year
• What is a problem with operationalising concepts?

  Valid measures may not be available
• Why do positivists favor operationalising concepts?

  It allows for reliable quantitative data collection
• What do interpretivists prioritize over operationalising concepts?

  Understanding meanings behind actions
• What is a pilot study?

  A small-scale practice of the study
• What is the purpose of a pilot study?

  To iron out problems and clarify wording
• Why is selecting a sample necessary in sociology?

  Studying the entire population is impractical
• What is a sample in research?

  A smaller proportion of the population
• What must a sample be to allow generalisations?

  Representative of the target population
• What are the stages of selecting a representative sample?

  1. Identify the target population
  2. Find a sampling frame
  3. Decide on the type of random sample or quota sample
  4. Select the number of participants needed
• What is the target population?

  The social group you wish to study
• What is a sampling frame?

  A list of all members of the target population
• What are the characteristics of a good sampling frame?

  Complete, accurate, up to date, without duplications
• Why might researchers choose a non-representative sample?

  They want an atypical sample or cannot get a representative one
• What are the stages of selecting a non-representative sample?

  1. Identify the target population
  2. Decide on the type of sample (snowball, volunteer, theoretical)
  3. Select the number of participants needed
• What is methodological pluralism?

  Using various research methods in one study
• What is triangulation in research?

  Using two or more methods to check validity
• How do triangulation and methodological pluralism differ?

  Triangulation checks validity; pluralism does not
• What are some examples of studies that used triangulation?

  • The Making of a Moonie, Barker (1984)
  • Get Ready to Duck, Winlow et al (2001)
  • A Risky Business, T Sanders (2004)
  • Becoming a Teacher, Hobson (2000)
• What are the uses of methodological pluralism?

  To check validity, back up data, and build a fuller picture
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of triangulation?

  Strengths:

  • Avoids validity and reliability issues
  • Finds patterns and trends
  • Checks findings for accuracy

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Takes longer to conduct
  • Costs more to complete
  • Conflicting findings may arise
• What are the three main things sociologists aim to do in research?

  Gather data, establish correlations, develop theories
• What areas of education do sociologists research?

  • Pupils
  • Teachers
  • Parents
  • Classrooms
  • Schools
• What is the task for groups studying labelling of pupils?

  Design a study and justify research methods
• Which research method might be best for studying pupils about labelling?

  Questionnaire to reduce power issues
• What types of research methods can be chosen for studying education?

  Questionnaire, structured interview, unstructured interview
• Why is it important to justify the choice of research methods?

  To address issues specific to the study area