Theoretical, Practical & Ethical Considerations

Theoretical, Practical & Ethical Considerations

1. Theoretical

   • Positivism
     • Quantitative data
       • Numerical data
     • Objective
       • Researcher does not allow their own views to affect the results
     • Reliable
       • When research is repeated the same fings are found
     • Research designs
       • Experiment
         • Laboratory
         • Field
       • Questionnaire
         • Closed questions
         • Open questions
           • Post coded
       • Non-participant observation
       • Structured interviews
       • Official statistics
     • Sampling method
       • Random
       • Systematic
       • Cluster
       • Stratified
     • Variables
       • Dependent
       • Independent
     • Representative
     • Generalisable
     • Pilot study
     • Structuralists
       • Look at structures in society
     • Durkheim
       • Durkheim researched suicide statistics and found trends linked to structures in society, e.g. marriage and religion. High or low levels of integration can increase the chance of suicide.
     • Hypothesis
   • Interprevitism
     • Qualitative data
       • Detailed and in-depth data
     • Subjective
       • Researcher allows their own views to affect the findings
     • Valid
       • When research findings are truthful to real life
     • Research designs
       • Interviews
         • Semi-structured
         • Unstructured
       • Observation
         • Covert
         • Participant observation
       • Case study
       • Documents
         • Personal
         • Public
         • Historical
     • Sampling method
       • Snowball
       • Opportunistic
     • Interactionalists
       • Look at individuals interactions
     • Aim
     • Douglas
       • Believes official suicide statistics are socially constructed so tell people about the activities of those who construct them such as coroners. This means that they cannot tell us why people commit suicide.

2. Practical

   • Access / Research opportunity
   • Source of funding
   • Time
   • Cost / Finance
   • Personal danger
   • Personal factors

3. Ethical

   • Informed consent
   • Debreifing
   • Confidentiality
   • Deception
   • Right to withdraw
   • Harm to participants
     • Vulnerable groups
     • Physical
     • Psychological