Choice of Method

Cards (22)

  • What are the three main factors influencing research method choice?
    Practicality, Ethics, and Theory
  • What does the acronym PET stand for in research design?
    • Practicality
    • Ethics
    • Theory
  • What do practical issues in research relate to?
    Time, money, skills, and logistics
  • Why might a theoretically ideal research method be rejected?
    Due to high costs or logistical difficulties
  • What is longitudinal research?
    Research conducted over a long period
  • What is an advantage of longitudinal research?
    It records social change over time
  • What is a disadvantage of longitudinal research?
    High costs and participant dropout risk
  • What logistical difficulty is associated with longitudinal studies?
    Finding participants willing to continue
  • How can a sociologist's skills influence their research method choice?
    Some methods require specific skills
  • What might lead sociologists to use secondary data?
    Concerns about time and cost
  • What ethical issues arise in research methods?
    Informed consent, deception, and risk of harm
  • Why are covert observations ethically problematic?
    They require researchers to remain undercover
  • How does a sociologist's theoretical perspective affect their research method choice?
    It influences the type of data they prefer
  • What methods do positivist sociologists prefer?
    Methods that produce quantitative data
  • What methods do interpretivist sociologists prefer?
    Methods that produce qualitative data
  • What is methodological pluralism in sociology?
    • Using a range of research methods
    • Combines reliable and valid data
    • Aims for triangulation of findings
  • How can case studies employ methodological pluralism?
    By using various methods for triangulation
  • What is a case study?
    In-depth investigation of an individual or group
  • What are advantages of case studies?
    Gathering qualitative and quantitative data
  • What are disadvantages of case studies?
    Reliability issues and limited generalizability
  • What methods did Paul Willis use in his case study?
    Interviews, participant observations, and focus groups
  • How does Willis's study relate to theoretical perspectives?
    It is linked to interpretivist approaches