Flashcards
Research Methods
Flashcards do conjunto (37)
- 1Choice of topic (Research Process)Influenced by; Values/experiences of researcher, society's values, theoretical perspective, organisation funding, accessibility, practical issues.
- 2Research questions/Aim/Hypothesis(Research Process)Most sociologists start with a question.
Aims and hypotheses are also used. - 3Operationalisation (Research Process)Process of defining key terms to make them measurable.
A problem can occur when sociologists operationalise the same concept differently. - 4Pilot studies (Research Process)A test run to find out whether the research is likely to work and to make changes to the design where necessary.
- 5Access (Research Process)A gatekeeper who knows the people and has the power to give the sociologist access can be used.
- 6Interpretation of data (Research Process)Positivists; Tables and graphs for patterns and trends.
Interpretivists; Select from the data what they are going to comment on. - 7Respondent validationWhere respondents are given the opportunity to read what is being said about them and agree/disagree with it.
- 8Simple random sample (Sampling)Advantages; Reliable, representative.
Disadvantages; Expensive, time consuming, complex. - 9Systematic random sampling (Sampling)Picking every nth number from the sampling frame.
- 10Stratified random sampling (Sampling)Dividing population into categories.
Advantages; More likely to be representative, needs smaller sample.
Disadvantages; May not have necessary info to divide into categories. - 11Quota sampling (Sampling)Researchers go out looking for 'quota' of people in the categories.
Advantages; Control of variables, simple, inexpensive, quick
Disadvantages; Not random, low response, possible researcher bias. - 12Snowball sampling (Sampling)Advantages; Useful for hard to access groups
Disadvantages; All people in sample possible similar. - 13Opportunity sampling (Sampling)Advantage; 100% response rate
Disadvantage; Researcher bias, unrepresentative. - 14Purposive samplingTechnique used when looking for particular people. Eg head teachers.
- 15EthicsPermission, anonymity/privacy, confidentiality, safety and right to withdraw.
- 16Positivism key termsPatterns, trends, objectivity, value freedom, quantitative.
- 17Interpretivism key termsMeanings/experiences, verstehen, rapport, subjectivity, researcher imposition, reflexivity, qualitative.
- 18Researcher imposition (Interpretivist)When the researcher imposes their own views and values on the data collected.
Positivist critique of Interpretivists. - 19Reflexivity (Interpretivist)The researcher reflects upon the data collection and interpretation process.
- 20ValidityThe extent to which the research provides a true picture of the social reality of those being studied.
Particularly important to Interpretivists. - 21ReliabilityIf the research is said to be repeatable and the data collection method was standardised.
Particularly important to positivists. - 22RepresentativenessWhether the group or individuals being studied are a true reflection of the target population.
Important to positivists. - 23GeneralisabilityThe extent to which it is possible to apply the findings from the research sample to the wider target population.
Important to positivists. - 24Quantitative data key termsPatterns/trends, objective, positivist, value free, reliable.
- 25QuestionnairesAdvantages; Quick cheap and easy way to collect large amounts of data, easy to quantify, reliable, allow for comparisons, objective, representative, few ethical issues
Disadvantages; Low response rate, only certain people respond, inflexible, not valid, invalid answers, socially acceptable answers, leading questions. - 26Structured interviewsAdvantages; Training interviewers is straightforward/inexpensive, easily quantified, representative, high response rate, reliable,
Disadvantages; Not valid, interviewer bias, social acceptability, inflexible. - 27Group interviewsAdvantages; More comfortable so more likely to open up, ideas often thrown around group so more reflective date.
Disadvantages; Individuals may dominate, peer group pressure to conform, more difficult to analyse. - 28Statistical dataAdvantages; Free source of huge amounts of data, saves time and money, comparisons, patterns/trends, representarive, reliable, objective
Disadvantages; May be none available for certain topics, can be manipulated, not valid (dark figure), socially constructed. - 29Content analysisAdvantages; Cheap, can be used on many information sources, easy to find material, quantifies meanings, reliable (systematic procedures), objective.
Disadvantages; Not valid (tells us nothing about meaning), can take text out of context. - 30Qualitative data key termsMeanings, in-depth, valid, Interpretivist.
- 31Participant observationAdvantages; Ecological validity, insight, flexible, allows for rapport.
Disadvantages; Time consuming, difficult to take notes, training, risk to observer, difficulty of access, unrepresentative, unreliable, difficult to remain objective, subjective/biased. - 32Overt observationAdvantages; Avoids deception, openly can take notes
Disadvantages; Refusal to observe, observer effect. - 33Covert observationAdvantages; Valid, no observer effect, full acceptance into group.
Disadvantages; Risk to observer, no note taking, immoral. - 34Ethnography Participant observation and unstructured interviews.Advantages; Detailed and rich over time increasing validity, good for achieving empathy.
Disadvantages; Lack of reliability, problems of access, recording information, maintaining objectivity. - 35Unstructured interviewsAdvantages; Valid, rapport, checking understanding, flexible, high response rate
Disadvantages; Time, small sample, training, unrepresentative, ungeneralisable, unreliable - 36Methodological PluralismAim; To build up a fuller picture of social life by combining methods and data.
Advantages; Adding explanations to numbers, strengths of qual and quant combined, more generalizable.
Disadvantages; Time, resources, money - 37TriangulationAim; Allowing findings to be cross checked and validity/reliability assessed.
Investigator triangulation
Methodological triangulation (within method or between method.)
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- A2 Sociology FlashCards sobre Research Methods, criado por Sophie Hankin em 30-04-2017.
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- Sophie Hankin
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