Research methods

• what is primary data?


  Data that has been collected first hand by the researcher
• What is secondary data?


  Data that already existed
• What is quantitative data?


  Data in numerical form that allows for correlations
• What is qualitative data?


  Data in word form that allows researchers to find reasons behind behavior
• What are the 2 types of questionnaires?

  Closed and open questionaries
• What type of data do closed questionaries produce?

  Quantitative data
• What type of data do open questionaries produce?

  Qualitative data
• What are the 2 types of interviews?

  Structured and unstructured interviews
• What type of data do structured interviews produce?


  Quantitative data
• What type of data do unstructured interviews produce?

  Qualitative data
• What are the 4 types of observations?

  Covert, overt, pps and non-pps observations
• What is a covert observation?


  Pps don't know that they are being observed
• What is a overt observation?


  When pps are aware of the observation
• What are pps observations?

  When the researcher actively partakes in pps activities
• What are non-pps observations?

  When the researcher observes but doesn't partake in pps activities
• What are the two types of experiments?

  Lab and field experiments
• What is a lab experiment?


  A controlled scientific procedure conducted in a laboratory setting to test a hypothesis
• What is a field experiment?


  A natural setting study where the pps are unaware of the study
• What are the two forms of data?

  Official statistics and documents
• What data do official statistics produce?

  Quantitative data
• What are official statistics?

  Data collected by the government
• What data do documents produce?

  Qualitative data
• What are documents?

  Data collected by individuals, groups or organisations
• What does the P in PERVERT stand for?

  Practical issues such as time, access and money
• What does the first E in PERVERT stand for?

  Ethical issues such as deception
• What does the R in PERVERT stand for?

  Reliability- can the test be repeated
• What does the V in PERVERT stand for?

  Validity- can the results be trusted
• What does the second E in PERVERT stand for?

  Examples- are there examples of the study
• What does the second R in PERVERT stand for?

  Representativeness- can the study be generalised to the wider population
• What does the T in PERVERT stand for?

  Theoretical issues- positivist and interpretivist view