research methods

research methods

1. key concepts

   • validity
   • reliability
   • representativeness
   • generalisability
   • operationalisation
   • ethics

2. positivism

   • social forces shape behaviour
   • scientific
     • value free
     • objective
     • patterns & trends
   • quantitative data
     • methods
       • structure
       • questionnaires, surveys, strutcured interviews
   • variables

3. Interpretivism

   • social action theory
   • meanings and experiences
   • verstehen, empathy and rapport
   • qualitative data
     • subjectivity, researcher imposition and reflexivity
     • methods
       • observation, unstructured

4. sampling

   • random
     • systematic
     • stratified
   • non-random
     • snowball
     • volunteer
     • opportunity
     • purposive
     • quota
   • access & gatekeeping

5. process

   • costs
   • funding
   • time
   • subject matter
   • social characteristics
   • primary/secondary data
   • pilot studies
   • respondent validation