research methods

research methods

1. the research process

   • aims
     • hypothesis
       • consdering previous reserch on topic
         • operationalisation (breaking down the hyposeis into questions
           • data collection
             • pilot studdies
               • interpreting data
                 • test hypothesis
                   • confirm hypothesis
                     • theory (made up of confirmed hypothesis)

2. practical factors that might influence the choice of research topic

   • time
     • when
     • how long
       • longitudinal studies - years
   • enviroment + culture
     • context
       • what are you going into
         • own background
           • beliefs - biases - prejudice
   • cost, funding
     • research is not cheap
       • secondary data is cheeper
   • gatekeeping/acess
   • ethics
     • BSA
     • confidentiality
     • safety of group

3. sampling

   • target population
     • interested in particular groups
     • don't want to study everyone
   • is studying a smaller group taken from the wider population
   • population
     • the total group the researcher is interested in
   • sampling unit
     • the individual thing or person in that population
   • sampling frame
     • is a list of all in population
       • e.g. electoral register
   • sample bias
     • any difference between the sample and the larger population

4. sociologists

   • haste - Joined up texting - 2005
     • sampling
       • random - systematic - purposive - volenteer
     • questionnaires used
       • open, closed and multiple choice
     • issues raised
       • only targeted certain groups, then why was not answered, lack of collaboration with schools
   • bursey - one of the lads
     • methods
       • unstructured interviews
         • -gave detailed accounts - lots of interviews - wide variety of people
         • -did not ask the professional players - unclear the view of who made it
       • participant observations
         • -got involved with what was happening - looked at 4 different teams
         • -not able to get inside their heads - did not look at mainly white team - may loose objectivity
   • holden - 'happily ever after'
     • looked at intergration-ethnicity
       • childrens play in local parks
     • methodology
       • secondary research
         • background knowledge
       • non-participant observation
         • quantitative data
       • parental questionnaire
       • park observations
       • school observations
   • the making of a moonie - 1984
     • carried reserch on religous groups
     • methodology
       • questionare
       • initial questions
       • in depth interviews
       • participant observation
     • valid since taken over a period of time
     • limited reliability - people have different relationships
     • slightly generalised
   • a glasgow gang observed
     • participant observation
     • not reliable or valid
     • no hawthorne effect
     • no consent - not ethical
   • loud humphys and the tea room sex study
     • type of men who gain sexual pleasue in toilet
     • covert, active participant observation
     • structured interviews
     • valid data - no horthorne effect - only small group of people

5. sampling methods

   • random sampling
     • every member of the target population has an equal chance of being selected
     • sysyematic
       • every Nth member of the target population being selected
     • stratified
       • different subgroups in the target population are identified - then people randomly selected in proportion
       • most representative
   • non-random
     • snowball
       • one contact will recruit other contacts
     • volunteer
       • where participants put themselfs forward to be studied
     • opportunity
       • uses a sample of people who are available at the time
     • purposive
       • researcher has a clear idea of the sample
     • quota
       • clear number of people and chosen from certain chracteristics

6. P vs I

   • positivism
     • sociology should be studied in a scientific manner
       • facts that can then be studied
     • data - statistical - measurable
     • large scale sample
     • reliability is needed
     • needs to be objective
   • interpretivism
     • society cannot be treated as a science
     • needs to gain both depth and understanding
     • research should be small scale
     • validity is important
     • research can be subjective

7. methods

   • interviews
     • stuctured
     • unstuctured
     • semi - structured
     • group
   • questionares
     • open
     • closed
     • measurement scales
   • content analysis
     • formal
     • thematic
     • textual
     • audience
   • ethonography
   • mixed methods
     • triangulation
     • methodological pluralism
   • longitudinal studies