Chapter 5: Sociological research methods

Chapter 5: Sociological research methods

1. Qualitative methods

   • Why use?
     • Useful for illegal for deviant activities
     • Gives real insight
   • Problems of qualitative methods
     • Bias
     • Generalisability
     • Reliability
     • Influence on group being studied
     • Types of observational method
       • Participant
       • Non - Participant
       • Covert/Overt?

2. Mixed Methods or triangulation

   • Sociologists often use two or more approaches

3. Theoretical and ethical issues

   • How theoretical issues influence research
     • suggest one research topic rather than another
     • Influence research method choosen
     • Influence interpretation of research findings
   • How ethical issues influence research
     • Influence choice of research topic
     • Ask researcher to consider the effects of the research
     • Influence who is chosen to be researched
     • Raise issue of whether researcher may act immorally or illegally during research

4. Secondary Data

   • Why use?
     • Allows historical research
     • Good where 'primary methods' (surveys, participants, observation, etc.) not possible
   • Types of secondary data
     • Previous research
     • Official publications
     • Diaries and letters
     • Novels and fiction
     • Oral and family history
     • The media
   • Problems of secondary data
     • Inaccuracy or bias in original source
     • Censorship

5. What does sociological research do?

   • Gathers data
     • Primary
     • Secondary
   • Makes correlations
   • Suggests/confirms correlations

6. Quantitative methods

   • Ways of asking questions
     • Interviews
     • Questionnaires
   • Why Use?
     • Allows use of statistical test
     • Less bias
     • Good overview of society
   • Problems of quantitative methods
     • fails to get 'lived experience'
       • Validity
       • Reliability
   • Types of quantitative method
     • Case studies
     • Comparative research
     • Experiments
     • Survey
       • Cross - Sectional
       • Longitudinal