Topic 1 - Choice of Method and the Research Process

• Positivism


  Belief that there is a measurable, objective social reality that exists out there like the physical world
• Interpretivism


  Belief that there is no objective social reality, just the subjective meanings that social actors give to events
• Positivists


  • See behaviour as the result of social forces shaping what we do
  • Aim of research is to discover the underlying causes of our behaviour
• Positivist research methods


  • Standardised methods such as questionnaires, structured interviews, structured observation and official statistics
  • Obtain reliable and representative quantitative data
  • Identify general patterns and trends in behaviour
  • Produce cause-and-effect explanations like those in the natural sciences
• Interpretivists


  • Claim there is no objective social reality, just the subjective meanings that social actors give to events
  • Aim of research is to uncover actors' meanings or worldview
• Interpretivist research methods


  • Open-ended methods such as unstructured interviews, participant observation and personal documents
  • Produce valid, qualitative data
  • Gain understanding by experiencing the group's lifestyle or allowing individuals to explain their worldview in their own words
• Reliability


  A method is reliable if it is replicable and uses standardised forms of measurement
• Representativeness


  A sample is representative if its characteristics are the same as those of the wider research population
• Validity


  How authentic and true the data is
• Primary data


  Evidence collected by sociologists themselves for their own sociological purposes
• Secondary data


  Information that has already been collected by someone else for their own purposes
• Factors influencing choice of research method


  • Methodological preference of the sociologist
  • Practical aspects of research
  • Ethical concerns
• Methodological preference


  Positivists prefer quantitative data, interpretivists prefer qualitative data
• Practical factors


  • Time
  • Finance
  • Source of funding
  • Personal factors
  • Research subjects
  • Research opportunity
  • Personal danger
• Ethical factors


  • Informed consent
  • Confidentiality
  • Effects on research subjects
  • Vulnerable groups
  • Covert research
• Theoretical factors are a positive influence, practical and ethical factors are more of a limitation on choice of method
• Triangulation combines quantitative and qualitative methods so that the strengths of one balance the weaknesses of the other
• Factors affecting choice of topic

  • Practical factors
  • Funding bodies
  • Society's values
  • Sociologist's theoretical perspective
  • Chance
• Aim


  A statement that identifies what a sociologist intends to study
• Hypothesis


  A possible explanation that can be tested by collecting evidence to prove it true or false
• Operationalising concepts


  Converting a concept into something measurable
• Pilot study


  A trial run of a survey method to iron out any problems, refine or clarify questions and their wording, and give interviewers practice
• Sampling frame


  A list of all the members of the research population from which the sample can be chosen
• Representativeness


  A sample should have the same characteristics, in the same proportions, as the wider research population
• Types of sampling


  • Random sampling
  • Systematic or quasi-random sampling
  • Stratified sampling
  • Quota sampling
• Small samples are less likely to be representative of large populations
• Interpretivists are less concerned about representativeness as they are not trying to establish 'laws' of social behaviour