additional methods

• Methodical pluralism- Use of more than one method, data triangulation favoured by positivists & interpretivists esp postmodern sociologists who believe theoretical perspectives shouldn't constrain researchers.
• 1.Townsend poverty in the UK

  Used both structured interviews & a national survey
• 2.Sharpe just like a girl

  Explored aspirations of WC girls in London in education.

  First in 1976, then 1994.

  Sharpe started with questionnaires but found they didn't reveal info she was looking for so she used unstructured interviews with small no. of girls sampled.
• Barker- Making of a Moonie

  Spent 7 years studying unification church members.

  She used range of methods to conduct her research.

  She completed questionnaires with church unification members to determine type of person likely to join the group.

  Then carried unstructured interviews & then overt non participation to study the group's practices.
• Practical strengths- Complementary methods

  Ethical strength-Informed consent

  Theoretical strength- Different data produced.

  Practical limit- Research skills

  Ethical -sensitivty

  theoretical-contradictory data
• Life histories: Account of people's lives told by participants often using observations or unstructured interviews.