Fichas
Strength and Limitations of research methods
Fichas del conjunto (15)
- 1Structured interviewsThe interviewer asks pre-set questions with closed answers.
Method favoured by positivists as they believe they can study society scientifically.
STRENGTHS- High response rate/Quick and easy method to administer cheaply/More reliable
LIMITATIONS- Invalid picture/Atypical sample is possible/Inflexibility - 2Pilot StudyA trial run of the research process or design you intend to carry out on a larger scale, used to discover strengths and limitations of your research.
STRENGTHS-Practicalities of research/Develop and test questions/Discover and adapt any specific requirements - 3ObservationResearcher watches and analysis participants behaviour, whilst taking part.
Favoured by the interpretivists since they believe it's the best way to study the social world and to establish social relations.
STRENGTHS- Experience/Research into difficult areas/Truthful
LIMITATIONS- Bias and going native/Hawthorne effect/Ethical issues - 4Longitudinal studiesA study that follows a group or sample over an extended period of time
STRENGTHS- More detailed picture/Make comparisons/Cause and effect
LIMITATIONS- Sample attrition/less representative/Hard to Analyse/Only represents the world from 50 years ago - 5Data triangulationWhen a piece of research has used many different research techniques
STRENGTHS-/Produce a Hypothesis/ Complimentary/Fill gaps left by one method/Check accuracy
LIMITATIONS- Practical problems/Results could contradict each other/ (limitations of methods used) - 6Non-Participant observationThe researcher observes a group yet doesn't participate int heir activities.
Interpretivists favour this since it produces qualitative data.
STRENGTHS- Validity/Studying specific groups/Making comparisons
LIMITATIONS- Socially constructed/ Hawthorne effect/Can't generalise - 7Mail or Postal QuestionnairesClosed questionnaire administered through the post
STRENGTHS- Geographically wide sample/Detached and objective/Ethical
LIMITATION- High non-response rate/ interpretivists argue that they are invalid/Reliability - 8Social SurveyLarge scale method of research using structured questionnaires or interviews
Favoured by positivists since they believe they can study society scientifically, and easiest way to establish social facts.
STRENGTHS- Gain a large and representative sample/Ethical/Reliability
LIMITATIONS- Unreliability/Invalid/Practical - time consuming and costly - 9Case StudyAn examination of a single group, institution, event or place, it can use a variety of methods.
Favoured by the interpretivists
STRENGTHS- In-depth study/Suggest or test a hypothesis/Studying deviant or unique cases
LIMITATIONS- Can't make comparisons/Unrepresentative & can't generalise/Can't study trends and patterns - 10Official StatisticsSecondary sources that produce quantitative data, gathered by the government or any other official body.
Favoured by the positivists.
STRENGTHS- Vast amount of data available/Representative/Reliable
LIMITATIONS- Lacks depth and no meaning/Invalidity/Unreliable - 11Content AnalysisA quantitative method used to systematically measure the content of qualitative documents.
STRENGTHS- Practical - inexpensive and quick/Objective and reliable/Ethical
LIMITATIONS- Exclusions/Subjective and inflexible/No meanings uncovered - 12DocumentsSecondary source including public and personal documents.
Favoured by the interpretivists
STRENGTHS- Detailed in-depth insight/Only source of information/Practical - cheap and quick
LIMITATIONS- Difficulty interpreting and uncovering meaning/Credibility - too subjective/Unrepresentative - 13Secondary sourcesQuantitative or qualitative data collected by someone else.
STRENGTHS- Large and wide-ranging amount of data/Only source of information/Practical - cheap and quick
LIMITATIONS-Lacks sociological detail/Credibility - too subjective/Representativeness - how typical? - 14Sampling techniqueA Smaller section of the potential population you wish to study. Two main sampling techniques random and non-random
STRENGTHS- No sample frame/Studying deviant or difficult to access groups/Practical
LIMITATIONS- Subjective or non-random/Losing control/Unrepresentative - 15Ethical IssuesRefers to the moral issues of right and wrong, in carrying out sociological research
ISSUE- Informed consent/Confidentiality and consent/Effects on research participants
EVALUATION- Can be justified
Información
- Descripción
- Strengths and limitations overview of the research methods for unit 2 sociology
- Creado por
- Usuario eliminado · mar 2018
- Actualizado
- 13 mar 2018
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- 16
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- Creado por Isobel Wagner · 9 abr 2015
- Copiado por Joey Bandelow · 13 mar 2018
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