Reseach and Methods

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Collecting and Using Data Aims

Sociologists try to make their research reliable and valid.

Reliable reseach can be repeated to get the same result. This data can be replicated by another researcher using the exact same methods. Sociology research isn't generally as reliable as research in the natural sciences.

Valid data is a true picture of what the researcher is trying to measure. Reliable data isn't always valid. You could use unemployment statistics to measure how many people don't work. This wouldn't give a true picture, because these statistics don't include students who don't work, or people who are unable to work.

There are several reasons why research may not give a true picture:

Respondents in an interview may forget, exaggerate or lie.

Asking people about their attitudes to an event a long time after often isn't valid. People change thier views, alter their description.

You can't research the whole population, so you take a sample. Samples should be representitive - reflect the population as a whole. It needs similar proportions of ages, genders, classes and ethnicity. Sociologsists can generalise a representitive sample.

Sociologists aim to be objective and avoid bias.

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Primary Data

Researchers collect primary data first hand. They use methods like interviews, questionnaires, observation and experiments. These generate quantitative or qualitative data.

Doesn't rely on other research and you can carefully choose your method to make your data as valid and reliable as possible.

Always brand new and up to date.

Some methods can be expensive and time-consuming.

Some methods may put the researcher in a dangerous situation.

Some methods may be unethical if you don't give informed consent.

Researchers views may create bias.

Can't always get access to the group you want to study.