Research methods

• Weaknesses of lab experiments.

  -The Hawthorne effect (if people are aware they are being observed then their behaviour will not be completely natural)

  -Ethical issues (cannot give full consent as they are being deceived to be unaware they are being observed)
• Strengths of lab experiments

  -Highly controlled environment (the researcher can manipulate independent variables to alter the experiment and gain the most accurate and valid results)
• Strengths of statistics

  -Representative (they have a wide coverage on the population as they use large sampling methods)

  -Easy access (most statistics are available online for everyone to view)
• Weaknesses of statistics

  -Reliability (does not factor in everyone in the world and the data changes every year)

  -Politically and male bias (Marxists say that the statistics only reflect the ruling class and feminists say that it only reflects men)
• Strengths of questionnaires

  -Cheap and quick to create (not costly or time consuming if they're online)

  -Reliable (if close-ended questions as the researcher can manipulate the study to gain specific answers which can be replicated)

  -Representative (large sampling can give more accurate results)
• Weaknesses of questionnaires

  -time consuming ( depending on the sample size)

  -low response rate (not everyone will answer the questionnaire)
• Strengths of covert operations.

  -Valid (Hawthorne effect)

  -Get a lot of qualitative data
• Weaknesses of covert operations.

  -time consuming

  -costly

  -access

  -right to withdraw

  -consent

  -deception.