Research methods

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    Created by
    Shann s

    Cards (20)

    • Surveys
      large scale
      quantitative study
    • Questionnaires
      a list of questions usually online
      advantages
      easy to distribute
      cheap
      confidential
      honest responses
      disadvantages
      hard to understand questions
      no explanation
      poor response rate
      may not be truthful responses
    • Structured interviews Is a type of interview where the interviewer asks a series of the same questions to people.
      collects quantitative data
      advantages
      interviewer can explain to participant
      reliable data
      researcher presence can improve responses
      disadvantages
      time consuming
      interviewer bias
    • Unstructured interviews
      conversation like, non fixed questions, follow up questions allowed
      qualitative data
      advantages
      allows for discussion and more detailed responses
      natural setting encourages honesty
      people are able to use their own words
      body language can be monitored
      disadvantages
      time consuming
      highly skilled interviewers needed
      interviewer bias
    • Semi structured interviews
      less flexible than unstructured but more flexible than structured.
      advantages
      qualitative data
      open ended questions gives opportunity for detail
      fuller answers
      disadvantages
      not standardised
      interviewer bias
      expensive and time consuming
    • Focus groups
      group of people who discuss an issue, it is usually recorded
      qualitative data
      advantages
      opinions can be explored
      more informative and revealing
      cheaper than a 1 to 1 interview
      disadvantages
      moderator needs to be skilled to keep discussion relevant
      some people may be shy making it less representive
    • Theories of research
      positivism is a macro approach hat investigates social facts
      collects quantitative data
    • Interprevitism is a micro approach that collects qualitative data, that is more personal to feelings and attitudes
      they are more interested in why something occurs
    • Ethics in research
      consent- subjects need to know what they are doing and what their data is being used for, consent can be withdrawn at any time.
      under 18s need adults consent
    • ethics in sociology
      deception
      if subjects are unaware or mislead of aims they have been deceived
      covert research can only be undertaken if necessary
    • Ethics in research
      anonymity
      confidential, no names to encourage honest answers
      confidentiality
      keeps data collected private
    • Aim- what data and why?
      hypothesis- prediction
      operationalise- area of study/ defining study group
      sample - type of sampling + why
      method- why you chose method and what it is
      procedure- ethical concerns + process of getting data from start to finish
      analysis -stats test and result analys
      evaluation- pos+ negs
    • A AIM
      H HYPOTHESIS
      O OPERATIONALISE
      S SAMPLE
      M METHOD
      P PROCEDURE
      A ANALYSIS
      E EVALUATION
    • Aim - what do you aim to get and why and where do you want to investigate and who.
    • hypothesis - prediction of what you will find and why you predict that
    • Sample - what sampling stratagy?
      random - 0-100 random number
      stratified - defining characteristic
      Systematic - equal intervals from 0
      clustered - group existing in society
    • method - what method your using and why you chose it, eg questionnaires because they’re quick and cheap
    • Procedure - ethical considerations and your process of gathering the data, any limitations?
    • Analysis- analyse results, stats tests, patterns etc
    • Evaluation - positives and negatives of your rearch, what you would do in future
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