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sociology - research methods > Basics > Flashcards

Basics Flashcards

1
Q

Define Reliability

A

How replicable the study’s results are

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2
Q

Define validity

A

How authentic and true of a picture the results provide

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3
Q

Define ethics

A

How morally right the research was

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4
Q

Define primary and secondary data

A

Primary - collected by researcher for their own research

Secondary - researcher uses data collected by someone else

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5
Q

Define quantitative data

A

Measurable information in numerical form

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6
Q

Define qualitative data

A

Information about feelings or interpretations

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7
Q

What are the three methods of research

A

Observations
Social surveys
Experiments

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8
Q

Give 3 practical factors

A

Funding
Access
Researcher characteristics

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9
Q

Give 3 ethical factors

A

Informed consent
Confidentiality
Protection from harm

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10
Q

Give 4 theoretical factors

A

Validity
Reliability
Representativeness
Methodical perspective

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11
Q

What is positivists aim?

A

To determine cause and effect which is generalisable for all society

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12
Q

What is interpretivists’ aim?

A

To study meanings and interpretations people attach to events which influences behaviour

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13
Q

How do positivists achieve their aim?

A

Through quantitative data like statistics and lab experiments which are reliable

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14
Q

How do interpretivists achieve their aim?

A

Through qualitative data like observations and private documents which are high in validity

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15
Q

What is the difference between aim and hypothesis?

A

Hypothesis is a specific prediction of what the results will show whereas an aim is what you are studying

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16
Q

What does it mean to operationalise a concept?

A

Converting an ambiguous term into a definable and measurable thing

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17
Q

What’s a pilot study?

A

A practice of the study to identify potential problems

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18
Q

What is the purpose of a sampling frame?

A

To gain access to the entire target population so a representative sample can be chosen

19
Q

Give an example of a sampling frame?

A

A marriage register

20
Q

Define random sampling

A

Drawn entirely by chance from sampling frame

21
Q

Give an advantage of random sampling

A

Everyone has an equal chance of being chosen

22
Q

Give a disadvantage of random sampling

A

Not all samples are large enough to be representative

23
Q

Define systematic sampling

A

Where every nth name is chosen

24
Q

Give an advantage of systematic sampling

A

Time and cost efficient

25
Q

Give a disadvantage of systematic sampling

A

Can only be done if you know the entire size of the population

26
Q

Define stratified sampling

A

Breaking the sampling frame into age, gender etc to get a proportionate sample

27
Q

Give an advantage of stratified sampling

A

Representative of target population

28
Q

Give a disadvantage of stratified sampling

A

Time consuming

29
Q

Define quota sampling

A

Choosing representative sample from a specific subgroup

30
Q

Give an advantage of quota sampling

A

More time and cost efficient

31
Q

Give a disadvantage of quota sampling

A

Sampling bias by ignoring certain characteristics

32
Q

Define snowball sampling

A

Member of the sample puts researcher in touch with other possible members

33
Q

Give an advantage of snowball sampling

A

Can access obscure groups that do not have a sampling frame

34
Q

Give a disadvantage of snowball sampling

A

People have similarities to their friends so it is not truly representative

35
Q

Define opportunity sampling

A

Participants are anyone who happens to be where the research is taking place

36
Q

Give an advantage of opportunity sampling

A

Quick and easy to obtain

37
Q

Give a disadvantage of opportunity sampling

A

Not necessarily representative

38
Q

Define volunteer sampling

A

Researcher advertises for willing participants

39
Q

Give an advantage of volunteer sampling

A

Needs little researcher input

40
Q

Give a disadvantage of volunteer sampling

A

People who volunteer will already have strong opinions on the matter so is not representative

41
Q

Give a situation context factor which could affect results

A

Behaviour may be influenced by outside variables like noise and temperature which limits validity

42
Q

Give 2 participant factors which can affect results

A

Hawthorne Effect

Social desirability bias - make it less valid

43
Q

Give 2 researcher factors that can affect results

A

Researcher characteristics affect responses

Researcher’s expectations influence participants - makes it less reliable

44
Q

Give the 3 ways to distribute questionnaires

A

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sociology - research methods (6 decks)

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