Flashcards
Untitled
Cards in this deck (70)
- 1BiasWhere the views of the researchers affect the research.
- 2Causal relationshipWhere there is a relationship between two social events with one causing the other.
- 3CorrelationA statistical relationship between two things. It does not necessarily mean that one causes the other.
- 4DataThe information uncovered by research.
- 5GeneralizabilityIf the group sociologist choose to study are representative of the population as a whole, then they will be able to make generalizations about the whole society.
- 6MethodologyThe process of undertaking research using the appropriate sociological methods.
- 7ObjectivityQuality achieved when a researcher's values do not affect their work.
- 8Primary dataInformation obtained directly by the sociologist.
- 9Qualitative dataInformation from a range of sources which are not statistical, such as observation.
- 10Quantitative dataStatistical information
- 11ReliabilityQuality of repeatability if the same piece of research were repeated by different sociologists, then it should produce the same results.
- 12RepresentativenessSituation where the people sociologists study are a cross section of the group they wish to generalize about.
- 13Secondary dataInformation obtained from the sources originally collected by someone other than the sociologist conducting the research.
- 14Sociological theoryAn explanation of how different parts of society or different events relate to one another.
- 15Validitythe extent to which data give a true picture of the subject being studied.
- 16Bottom-up theories(micro) Sociological theories that analyse society by studying the ways in which individuals interpret the world.
- 17Ethical issuesMoral concerns about the benefits and potential harm of research to the people being researched, to researchers themselves and to society.
- 18Feminist sociologyAn approach within sociology that concerns itself with studying the way in which women are oppressed by men.
- 19FunctionalismAn approach within sociology that stresses that society is based on a general agreement of values.
- 20Interpretive sociologyAn approach favouring the use of qualitative methods, such as participant observation, that allow the researcher to see the world from the same perspective as those being studied.
- 21Marxist or critical sociologyAn approach within sociology that stresses within sociology that stresses the exploitation of the majority of the population by a small and powerful 'ruling class'.
- 22PatriarchyThe oppression of women by men.
- 23PositivismThe view that sociology should try to use more 'scientific' approaches and methods, such as questionnaires and official statistics.
- 24Qualitative methodsMethods, such as participant observation, that produce primarily written data and allow the researcher to see things from the same perspective as those being studied.
- 25Quantitative methodsMethods, such as questionnaires, that produce primarily statistical data.
- 26Top-down theories('Macro') Sociological theories that believe it is important to look at society as a whole when studying it.
- 27TriangulationTerm often used to describe the use of multiple methods (qualitative and quantitative) in research.
- 28Case studyA highly detailed study of one or two social situations or groups.
- 29Cluster samplingThe researcher selects a series of different places and then chooses a sample at random within the cluster of people within these areas.
- 30Comparative methodA comparison across countries or cultures; sociology's version of an experiment.
- 31Cross-sectional surveyA survey conducted at one time with no attempt to follow up the people surveyed over a longer time.
- 32ExperimentA highly controlled situation where the researchers try to isolate the influence of each variable. Rarely used in sociology.
- 33Field experimentAn experiment undertaken in the community rather than in a controlled environment.
- 34Longitudinal surveyA survey carried out over a considerable number of years on the same group of people.
- 35Pilot surveyA small-scale survey carried out before the main one, to iron out any problems.
- 36PositivismThe belief that the methods of the natural sciences.
- 37Quota samplingWhere a representative sample of the population is chosen using known characteristics of the population.
- 38Random samplingWhere a representative sample of the population is chosen by entirely random methods.
- 39RepresentativeA sample is representative if it is an accurate cross section of the whole population being studied.
- 40Sampling frameA list used as the source for a random sample.
- 41Snowball samplingWhere a sample is obtained using a series of personal contacts. Usually used for the study of deviant behavior.
- 42Stratified samplingWhere the population under study is divided according to known criteria, such as sex and age, in order to make the sample more representative.
- 43SurveyA large-scale piece of quantitative research aiming to make general statements about a particular population.
- 44Systematic samplingWhere every nth name on a list is chosen.
- 45Theoretical samplingWhere an untypical sample of the population is chosen to illustrate a particular theory.
- 46Covert observationWhere the sociologist does not admit to being a researcher.
- 47EthnographyDescribes the work of anthropologists who study simple, small-scale societies by living with the people and observing their daily lives. The term has been used by sociologists to describe modern-day observational studies.
- 48Field diaryA detailed record of events, conversations and thoughts kept by participant observers, written up as often as possible.
- 49GatekeeperPerson who can allow a researcher access to an individual, group or event.
- 50Non-participant observationWhere the sociologist simply observes the group but does not seek to join in their activities.
- 51Open questionAllow respondents to express themselves fully.
- 52Participant observationWhere the sociologist joins a group of people and studies their behavior.
- 53Qualitative researchA general term for approaches to research that are less interested in collecting statistical data, and more interested in observing and interpreting the ways in which people behave.
- 54Overt observationWhere the sociologist is open about the research role.
- 55Closed questionsRequire a very specific reply, such as 'yes' or 'no'.
- 56CodingQuestionnaire replies are given a number or code, making it easier for the researcher to construct statistics from them.
- 57IndictatorSomething easily measurable that can stand for a particular concept.
- 58Interviewer biasThe influence of the interviewer on the way the respondent replies.
- 59Open questionAllow respondents to express themselves fully.
- 60Operationalizing conceptsThe process of defining concepts in way which makes them measurable.
- 61ReliabilityQuality achieved when all questionnaires and interviews have been completed consistently. This means that the data gathered from each can be accurately compared.
- 62Response rateThe proportion of the questionnaires returned (could also refer to the number of people who agree to interviewed).
- 63Structured interviewWhere the questions are delivered in a particular order and no explanation or elaboration of the questions is allowed by the interviewer.
- 64TranscribingThe process of writing up interviews that have been recorded.
- 65Unstructured interviewWhere the interviewer is allowed to explain and elaborate on questions.
- 66ValidityQuality achieved when questions provide an accurate measurement of the concept being investigated.
- 67Content analysisExploring the contents of the various media in order to find out how a particular issue is presented.
- 68Literature searchThe process whereby a researcher finds as much published material as possible on the subject of interest. Usually done through library catalogues or the internet.
- 69Meta-studyA secondary analysis using all or most of the published information on a particular topic.
- 70Secondary dataData already collected by someone else for their own purposes.
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- Flashcards on Untitled, created by lois.morgan888 on 04/12/2014.
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