Research methods

• validity


  accuracy : Data is valid if it gives a true picture of social reality
• reliability


  consistent results : Data is seen as reliable if other researchers using the same methods get the same results.
• Objectivity

  the unbiased approach to observation and interpretations of behaviour
• Process of sociological research

  Decide on the aim and hypothesis

  Carry out a pilot study: practice run of the research

  Select the sample: people who will take part in research

  Conduct the research: with methods : interview questionnaire etc....

  Analyse the data evaluate the research project
• Generalisation


  Assuming the results are valid, reliable and representative you should be able to generalise your findings
• Ethics

  Research must be carried out in a morally acceptable way
• Representativeness

  Sociologists want the sample they are studying to represent a large group
• Aim

  Your aim is to identify the purpose of their study and research method they intend to employ. All sociological research should aim to increase knowledge of the world.
• Relevant hypotheses


  Relevant hypotheses are predictions based on prior knowledge that can be testes and either confirmed or rejected on the basis of subsequent research.
• Identify and describe what sociologists mean by bias (3)

  Bais is when a researcher fails to maintain a neutral position as systematic error and deviation from a true aim of study e.g. teachers can be biased toward students.
• pilot studies

  Pilot studies are an opportunity for the researcher to try their chosen methods. It enable the researcher to correct an problems with their tools or techniques e.g. if it indicates that certain questions are irrelevant they can be removed. Its cost effective .
• primary data


  is created by sociologist themselves through their own research.
• secondary data

  already exist and has been created by other people or organisations such as government organisation
• Quantitative Data

  data presented in numerical form presented in graphs, pie charts or tables of statistics e.g. official statistics
• Qualitative Data


  data presented in words or visual form e.g. diary, photographs, mass media
• advantages of primary data

  - Reliable

  - Relevant to study as would of been recent

  - Scientific

  - Preferred by Positivists
• Disadvantage of primary data

  - Costly

  - Time consuming

  - Sampling needs to be generalise

  - People might not want to be honest or even offer themselves up as of privacy and fear
• Advantages of Secondary Data

  - Large Scale

  - Cheap

  - Quick

  - Only way to study historical issues
• Disadvantage of Secondary Data

  - Preferred by Interpretative

  - Reliability could be questioned

  - Interpretation issues

  - This type of data may not be exactly what the researcher needs dot their research and can be outdated
• Advantages of qualitative data

  - Information is rich and in-depth

  - Appropriate when detailed information is needed

  - Valid

  - Gives a sense/insight on emotions and feelings why and how
• Disadvantage of qualitative data

  Gathering this type of data is time consuming and costly
• Advantages of quantitative data

  - Quick and easy

  - Reliable and repeatable

  - Can easily test a hypothesis

  - easy analyse data

  - More objective
• disadvantages of quantitative data

  Stats can hide reality, questions can distort the truth, stats don't tell you meaning motive or reason, limited depth and insight regarding social interaction, stats can be politically biased.
• What is sampling?

  when, sociologist carry out research, we need people to take part, these people are participate and the group of people used is referred to as the sample.
• What is a 'biased sample'?

  A sample whereas the people you research were unrepresentative of the target population you were studying You can't get the real full representative knowledge of your study meaning we can generalise from it .
• What is a representative sample?

  A sample that reflect the target population induvial norms and values of different cultures meaning we can generalise from it.
• How we select samples:

  General population - the whole of the Uk

  Target population - is the total group of individuals from which might be drawn e.g. parents of the Uk

  Sample - the select few of parent who will participate in the study
• stratified sampling


  a variation of random sampling; the population is divided into subgroups and weighted based on demographic characteristics of the national population using ratio
• Stratified sampling advantages

  Sample accurately reflects the population structure

  Guarantees proportional representation of groups within a population
• Stratified sampling disadvantages

  when researchers can't confidently classify every member of the population into a subgroup. Also, finding an exhaustive and definitive list of an entire population can be challenging
• systematic sampling

  Every nth item in the target population is selected
• Systematic sampling advantages

  Simple and quick to use

  Suitable for large samples and large populations
• systematic sampling disadvantages

  over- or under-representation of particular patterns and a greater risk of data manipulation
• Volunteer sampling


  participants become part of a study by self-selecting in response to an advert.
• Volunteer sampling advantages

  data easy.

  requires minimal effort from the researcher.

  less time consuming.
• volunteer sampling disadvantages

  volunteer bias. eg. the research can attract a certain 'profile' of person. so the findings cannot be fully generalised
• random sampling

  a sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion e.g lottery system
• random sampling advantages

  -unbiased selection its fair
• random sampling disadvabtges

  - No additional knowledge is taken into consideration. ...

  - sampling error. This occurs when the sample selected doesn't accurately represent the population, even though it was selected randomly and without bias.
• Lab experiments

  Lab experiments are favoured by scientist opportunity to discover scientific laws of the cause and effect. They are also of the three type of experiments that are occasionally used in sociology.