REALISM (neaten)

REALISM (neaten)

1. Mixed methods approach

   • Combination of positivism (scientific) and interpretivism (meaning)

2. Recognises that both positivism and interpretivism are useful when carrying out research.

3. Agree with positivists that sociology can be scientific, but are also aware that human behaviour is unpretictable, so agree with interpretivists that we actively shape our life and give it meaning.

4. Think that research should consider factors that affect individuals and groups such as belonging to a social class and its impact on education.

5. Agree with positivists that patterns and trends can be established.

6. Feel that research should aim to uncover reasons and explanations behind patterns, as interpretivists say, meaning and detail are both important too.

7. Suggest that the best way to carry out research is to use mixed methods, meaning two or more methods, meaning that reseachers can benefit from the advantages and disadvantages of a method, hoping that the disadvantages can be overcome by another method, e.g. the combination of qualitative and quantitative methods

8. Take a realistic approach, pointing out that the best way to select methods is to consider what method is most appropriate for the research topic and group.