The process of research

The process of research

1. FORMULATING AN AIM/HYPOTHESIS

   • hypothesis- an explanation tested by collecting evidence to prove it true or false
   • discarding a hypothesis is not always bad- means that progress has been made
   • gives direction to research
   • positivists favour a hypothesis
   • an aim is more general
   • identifies what we hope to achieve through research
   • more open-ended
   • favoured by interpretivists

2. OPERATIONALISING CONCEPTS

   • the process of converting a sociological process into something we can measure
   • once it has been operationalised, questions can be devised to measure.
   • a prolem cause occur when sociologists operationalise differently- hard to compare different pieces of research

3. PILOT STUDY

   • aim is to iron out any problems, clarify questions and wording
   • YOUNG AND WILLMOTT- carried out over 100 pilot studies to help with the design of their survey
   • may reveal that questions are badly worded or hard to understand

4. SAMPLES AND SAMPLING

   • aim to produce generalisations but don't have the time or money to study everyone so choose a sample of people to use.
   • basic purpose is to ensure that the people chosen to be studied are REPRESENTATIVE of the research
     • should lead to generalised findings
   • attractive to positivists

5. THE SAMPLING FRAME

   • a list of all members sociologist is interested in studying
   • important it's as accurate as possible

6. SAMPLING TECHNIQUES

   • random sampling
   • Quasi-random or systematic sampling
   • stratified random sampling
   • Quota sampling

7. NON-REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLING

   • used for practical and theoretical reasons
     • snowball sampling
     • opportunity sampling