Flashcards
Research methods sociology
Cards in this deck (77)
- 1Reliabilityrefers to the replicability of a research method to check if the findings are consistent
- 2Validityhow accurate and true the findings are
- 3Representativenessthe extent that the sample used in the study ‘represents’ or is reflective of the target population.
- 4Representative samplehe findings can be generalised to the target population
- 5Generalisabilityextent in which the findings from the research can be used to explain behaviour in the wider population
- 6Primary datainformation collected themselves for their own purpose, allow researcher to have complete control over investigation however, this can be time consuming and costly
- 7Secondary dataData collected by someone else, usually has another purpose, quick and cheap however, it might not be relevant to what the sociologist's purpose is
- 8Quantitative dataData collected in numerical form, it is easy to analyse/interpret data to identify patterns but doesn't produce the deeper meaning behind the numbers
- 9Qualitative dataData collected in a written format, this allows to get a deeper meaning of understanding the reasoning behind the data but it is time consuming and difficult to code/analyse
- 10PositivistTheoretical approach which study to determine how society operates and function, use scientific method
- 11Positivist approachMacro approach - large scale
Patterns and trends
Quantitative data
Value freedom & objectivity
Reliability
Representativeness
Generalisability - 12Patterns and trendsPatterns - something visible with data
Trend - something visible over time - 13Value freedom & objectivityValue freedom - sociologists should be objectivity when carrying out research
Objectivity - absence of bias / approaching research without any pre-conceived ideas - 14InterpretivistsTheoretical approach, sociologists who aim to study the meaning behind of those they study
- 15Interpretivists approachMicro approach - small scale
Meanings and experiences
Verstehen and empathy
Subjectivity
Researcher imposition
Rapport
Reflexibility and favour validity
Qualitative data and ethnographic - 16VerstehenSociologists try to see the world through the eyes of the group being studied
- 17SubjectivityHave an opinion/ appreciate the opinion of those being studied
- 18Research impositionResearch based on the researchers own ideas
- 19RapportDegree of comfort in interactions between researcher and research subjects
- 20Reflexibilitya form of self-evaluation where researcher reflecting on how they have organised the research process and how different influences might positively or negatively affected the validity of their findings
- 21Practical factorsT - time
A - access
C - cost and funding
C - Characteristics of the researcher/ nature of subject - 22TimeTime scale researcher needs to complete research, this may affect choice of research
- 23AccessSociologists will need to consider whether they will be able to gain access to those they want to study eg, gatekeepers
- 24Cost and fundingResearcher needs to be aware of the expense of conducting research eg, could be funded by themselves, charities or government
- 25Characteristics of the researcherSociologist might not be able to access group due to their characteristics such as age, sex, class and ethnicity
- 26Nature of the subject matterSome topics are socially sensitive such as domestic abuse
- 27EthicsMoral principles that govern a sociologists conducting of research
- 28BSABritish Sociological Association, set out moral code for researchers to follow
- 29Ethical factorsD - deception
R - right to withdraw
I - informed consent
P - protection from harm
P - privacy and confidentiality - 30DeceptionParticipants deliberately misled or lied to. information was withheld about the true purpose of the study, ppts should be fully debriefed at end of study revealing true aim
- 31Right to withdrawParticipants of study should be informed before the study begins they can leave study at any time and withdraw their data
- 32Informed consentParticipants need to be fully informed about research's aims and procedures and how their data will be used , researcher should ask for consent, retrospective consent
- 33Protection from harmResearcher has responsibility to protect ppts from physical and psychological harm, researcher should offer counselling if needed
- 34Privacy and confidentialityPpts must be guaranteed confidentiality and data collected from study will kept private, researcher could offer ppts anonymity
- 35AimsOverall purpose of research
- 36HypothesisAn informed guess about what a sociologist expect to find in their research
- 37Grounded theorywhere the researcher will begin their research with only a general aim and later develop a hypothesis
- 38Operationalisationthe process of defining the key terms and concepts which form the basis of the research
- 39Target populationGroup that sociologist is interested in researching
- 40Sampling frameLists of names from the target population from which the sample will be selected
- 41Bias sampleA sample which does not represent the target population
- 42Simple random samplingEvery person in the sample frame has equal chance of being selected, it reduces opportunity of researcher/sample bias as researcher has no control over who is chosen however, research still may end up with an unrepresentative/ bias sample
- 43Systematic samplingEvery nth name is selected from a sampling frame, free from researcher bias and allows from more spread of participants, however not completely random as the way data is set out might not be representative of target population
- 44Stratified samplethe sampling frame is divided into strata (sub categories) that the researcher is interested in e.g. age, then a certain amount of people from each strata is selected using systematic sampling, in proportion to their representation in the target population, reduces sampling bias as ensures all subgroups fairly represented however time consuming to set up
- 45Quota samplingthe researcher decides how many of each category of person should be included in the sample, but instead of selecting them randomly from the sampling frame, the researcher goes out looking for the right number of people for each category until it is filled, less time consuming and inexpensive however low response rate and researcher bias
- 46Purposive samplingResearcher chooses individuals who fit the nature of their research eg, studying working class people
- 47Opportunity samplingWhen researchers themselves approach anyone who is available and willing to participate, easiest sampling technique and less time consuming however prone to bias
- 48Snowball samplingUsed when it is difficult to obtain a sample of people, the researcher will attempt to make contact to one person from a particular group that is of interest, provides deep insight into social groups, very small network of people, unrepresentative and may be bias
- 49Volunteer samplingWhen ppts freely self selected themselves to be part of a study, quick and easy, volunteer bias, unrepresentaive
- 50QuestionnaireList of predetermined written questions to which respondents are invited to give their answers, can be sent by post, email or handed to ppts
- 51Closed questionsPre-determined questions with a set amount of possible answers
- 52Open questionsRespondents free to give what response they wish to give
- 53Content analysisTechnique to analyse the content of qualitative media products such as songs by quantifying it, cheap, can be repeated, no researcher bias, no deeper meaning
- 54Official statisticsStatistics gathered by the government
- 55Non- official statisticsStatistics not collected by government but usually by companies, researches and universities
- 56InterviewA social survey which involves an interviewer asking questions to an interviewee
- 57Structures interviewInterviewer asks set of prepared questions, closed-ended questions, doesn't move away from the interview schedule
- 58Unstructured interviewInterviewer introduces a topic, allows the interviewee has freedom to answer questions, no standardise format, open ended questions
- 59Semi-structured questionsResearcher uses a combination predetermined questions and open ended questions to get necessary response to overcome the limitation of am structured/ unstructured interviews
- 60Interviewer biasInterviewer expectations/ opinions influence the response from the ppts
- 61Social desirabilityPpts answer questions in a way which they deem socially acceptable
- 62Cultural differencesDifferences in beliefs, values, morals and culture
- 63ArtificialityQuestions asked may be artificial and not reflect real life
- 64Status differencesStatus inequalities between the interviewer/ interviewee which may affect the response and level of honesty
- 65Socially sensitiveTopics which people might find it difficult to share their experiences about such as racism and domestic abuse
- 66ObservationsPrimary research method where researcher observes/ watches social life as it happens in its natural setting
- 67Participant observationsResearcher joins the group in every day activity
- 68Non - participant observationObserves the groups from a distance, doesn't take part in activates
- 69Overt observationResearchers identity and purpose of study revealed to group being studied
- 70Covert observationResearchers identity and purpose of study hidden from group/person
- 71Going nativeResearcher becomes over involved in group and over identifies with them meaning the researcher becomes biased
- 72Ethnographic methodsStudies use participant observations and unstructured interviews to provide in-depth account and analysis of a social group/culture
- 73Mixed methodsSociologists use a number of different research methods in their study
- 74Methodological pluralismResearcher uses multiple methods to build up a fuller picture of social life, can check for validity, increases reliability of findings, improve representativeness of findings, costly, time consuming, high levels of skills needed
- 75TriangulationInvolves a combination of methods that gather qualitative and quantitative data to check and verify the validity and reliability of data collected by each method
- 76Social policyGovernment using sociological research/findings aimed to help reduce social problems eg, crime, child abuse
- 77Respondent validationData or results are returned to participants to check for accuracy and resonance with their experiences
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- A level Sociology Flashcards on Research methods sociology , created by N G on 13/12/2021.
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- N G
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