30 marker Flashcards
As an A level sociology student, you have been asked to design a research project to collect data on ______________.
-describe each stage of your research design, justifying reasons for your choices at each stage
-discuss problems that may occur and the impact of these problems on the quality of data collected
para 1: introduction
I have been asked to design a research project in which i will gather qualitative data from a sample of [insert age range/gender/location]. The purpose of the research is to discover [insert aim as stated in question] defined by [what i will use to find out the aim]
para 2: literature review
Prior to my study I will complete a literature review to become familiar with existing data in the topic area. This will include reviewing ONS quantitative data, and reviewing the qualitative data found in research done by [insert name of researcher/department]. Completing a review of secondary data is beneficial as it enables me to further develop my knowledge of [insert topic]
para 3: method
To collect qualitative data i will conduct a group interview with my sample. Collecting this form of data increases the validity of my results as it allows for verstahen, which is an empathetic understanding into the insight of [given sample].
Qualitative data is highly valid as it allows us to gain a deeper understanding of the full opinions, beliefs, and attitudes of the respondent. This is favoured by Interpretivists who believe that knowing about people’s full opinions, thoughts and feelings is more important to recognise how we think as a society as it provides rich, in-depth, and detailed data. I will interview my sample in groups of 5-10 people, each interview lasting an hour. Group interviews also have a practical advantage as they are both time and cost effective - I can interview multiple people at once and less researchers are needed. As an A level sociology student, I will have limited funding and time, so this will be greatly useful to me. Furthermore, I will be able to encourage my ppts to discuss guided topics by asking questions such as [insert example questions]. From this, I will be able to gain a thorough discernment of their perspectives on [given topic], therefore increasing the validity of my findings.
para 4: sampling methods
To gather my sample I will use a snowball method, explaining the aims of my study to a few people in my target sample [eg. ], who will encourage their friends to participate, who will tell other people and so on until I reach my desired sample size. The sample will be around 25 people, allowing me to interview groups of around 5 for an hour a day Mon-Fri, which is a large enough sample to consider individual differences (such as gender and ethnicity), but not too large that it is practically time consuming to analyse the data once the week has finished. As an A level sociology student, this is the most effective non-random method to obtain a large sample easily, not having access to a sampling frame to complete a more random sampling technique.
para 5: pilot study
Before completing my research I will carry out a pilot study in which I will interview a group of 5 people. I will use my pilot study to eliminate any misinterpretations of the guiding discussion points, for example making sure that ppts understand [operationalised variable]. This will help me tweak any issues found, increasing the validity of my study to establish an accurate outlook on [sample’s POV on given topic]
para 6: ethics
To ensure that my research is ethical I will gather fully informed consent from all of my ppts taking part in my interview, ensuring that they know the aims of my study, ensuring they know the aims of my study. I will also ensure that the group discussion remains civil and is not invasive, for example avoiding certain topics [such as –] as this may be a sensitive topic for someone within my sample, maintaining protection from harm. I will debrief ppts at the end of my interview, explaining to them the purpose of their participation in allowing me to analyse their data in the context of [given topic]. Respondents who take part will remain anonymous in the findings of my study, protecting their privacy and allowing them to be more open and honest with their responses.
para 7: problems and issues
As an A level student, I am restricted in the true depth of research I am able to conduct. For example, while group interviews allow open discussion among ppts for great detail, it is very hard to analyse the responses. It is easier to misinterpret the responses compared to quantitative data, which (as numerical data) can easily be put into a graph, preventing skewed results. I also cannot replicate the group discussion as every individual will have varying ideas and emotions on the subject, further lowering the reliability of my data. The presence of the researcher (me being in the room to conduct the interview) may potentially lower the validity of my findings of my study - both my presence and the presence of other members of the group can never allow for complete privacy, and may not give 100% honest answers, which lowers the credibility of my data. Finally, using a snowball sample impacts the representativeness as ppts tell their friends who are likely to have similar opinions to them, therefore failing to provide a representative sample.
para 8: conclusion
To conclude, as an A level student I am limited in the levels of detail I am able to research[given topic]. Using group interviews is practically the most realistic option for me. However, in the real world it would be advantageous to instead use a longitudinal study to look into how these attitudes may change over time.
