Factors Influencing Choices of Research Method

Question 1

What are four aspects of practical issues?

Answer 1

• time and money
• funding body
• personal skills and social status
• research opportunity

Question 2

What are four aspects of ethical issues?

Answer 2

• informed consent
• confidentiality and privacy
• protection
• vulnerable groups

Question 3

How would you summarise the positivist research approach?

Answer 3

• prefer quantitative data
• seek to discover patterns of behaviour
• see sociology as a science
• top-down sociology
• more concerned with reliability
• focused more on macro

Question 4

How would you summarise the interpretivist research approach?

Answer 4

• prefer qualitative data
• seek to understand social actors’ meanings
• reject the view that sociology is a science
• bottom-up sociology
• more concerned with validity
• focused more on micro

Question 5

Why is time and money an issue?

Answer 5

• different methods require different amounts of time and money which might influence a sociologist’s choice
• eg. large studies require researchers who need paying

Question 6

Why is the funding body an issue?

Answer 6

• funder of the research may be in a position to dictate how they want the research to be conducted, what form the results should be in and duration of research

Question 7

Why are personal skills and social status an issue?

Answer 7

• the sociologist’s own personality and character, as well as their own status, may impact on their ability to use different methods
  Personal skills:
• if someone was confident/ shy
• talkative/ quiet
  Social status:
• class, ethnicity etc. can impact topic and method
• high social status might get more funding
• biased towards those they identify with

Question 8

Why is research opportunity an issue?

Answer 8

• sometimes the research opportunity turns up unexpectedly whereas in others it is planned well in advance, this will impact on the suitability of certain methods
• eg. if it’s spontaneous you may use interviews, not questionnaires

Question 9

Why is informed consent an issue?

Answer 9

• research participants should be given the chance to agree or refuse to participate
• decision should be ‘informed’ so information of the study should be offered so they’re not deceived

Question 10

Why is confidentiality and privacy an issue?

Answer 10

• researchers should respect the privacy of the participants and the identity and personal information of the participants should remain confidential

Question 11

Why is protection an issue?

Answer 11

• researchers need to be aware of the possible effects of their work on those they study and where possible should try to anticipate and prevent any harmful consequences

Question 12

Why are vulnerable groups an issue?

Answer 12

• special care should be taken when research participants are particularly vulnerable due to age, mental health etc.