Basics Flashcards
Define Reliability
How replicable the study’s results are
Define validity
How authentic and true of a picture the results provide
Define ethics
How morally right the research was
Define primary and secondary data
Primary - collected by researcher for their own research
Secondary - researcher uses data collected by someone else
Define quantitative data
Measurable information in numerical form
Define qualitative data
Information about feelings or interpretations
What are the three methods of research
Observations
Social surveys
Experiments
Give 3 practical factors
Funding
Access
Researcher characteristics
Give 3 ethical factors
Informed consent
Confidentiality
Protection from harm
Give 4 theoretical factors
Validity
Reliability
Representativeness
Methodical perspective
What is positivists aim?
To determine cause and effect which is generalisable for all society
What is interpretivists’ aim?
To study meanings and interpretations people attach to events which influences behaviour
How do positivists achieve their aim?
Through quantitative data like statistics and lab experiments which are reliable
How do interpretivists achieve their aim?
Through qualitative data like observations and private documents which are high in validity
What is the difference between aim and hypothesis?
Hypothesis is a specific prediction of what the results will show whereas an aim is what you are studying
What does it mean to operationalise a concept?
Converting an ambiguous term into a definable and measurable thing
What’s a pilot study?
A practice of the study to identify potential problems
What is the purpose of a sampling frame?
To gain access to the entire target population so a representative sample can be chosen
Give an example of a sampling frame?
A marriage register
Define random sampling
Drawn entirely by chance from sampling frame
Give an advantage of random sampling
Everyone has an equal chance of being chosen
Give a disadvantage of random sampling
Not all samples are large enough to be representative
Define systematic sampling
Where every nth name is chosen
Give an advantage of systematic sampling
Time and cost efficient
Give a disadvantage of systematic sampling
Can only be done if you know the entire size of the population
Define stratified sampling
Breaking the sampling frame into age, gender etc to get a proportionate sample
Give an advantage of stratified sampling
Representative of target population
Give a disadvantage of stratified sampling
Time consuming
Define quota sampling
Choosing representative sample from a specific subgroup
Give an advantage of quota sampling
More time and cost efficient
Give a disadvantage of quota sampling
Sampling bias by ignoring certain characteristics
Define snowball sampling
Member of the sample puts researcher in touch with other possible members
Give an advantage of snowball sampling
Can access obscure groups that do not have a sampling frame
Give a disadvantage of snowball sampling
People have similarities to their friends so it is not truly representative
Define opportunity sampling
Participants are anyone who happens to be where the research is taking place
Give an advantage of opportunity sampling
Quick and easy to obtain
Give a disadvantage of opportunity sampling
Not necessarily representative
Define volunteer sampling
Researcher advertises for willing participants
Give an advantage of volunteer sampling
Needs little researcher input
Give a disadvantage of volunteer sampling
People who volunteer will already have strong opinions on the matter so is not representative
Give a situation context factor which could affect results
Behaviour may be influenced by outside variables like noise and temperature which limits validity
Give 2 participant factors which can affect results
Hawthorne Effect
Social desirability bias - make it less valid
Give 2 researcher factors that can affect results
Researcher characteristics affect responses
Researcher’s expectations influence participants - makes it less reliable
Give the 3 ways to distribute questionnaires
Post
Face to face
Email
