Key Terms Flashcards
Validity
Explains the “WHY?”
Describes whether the data is true to real life and gives a meaningful picture of what is being studied
Reliability
Shows the “WHAT?”
Describes whether data can be replicated/tested by replicating the same methods and conditions
Representativeness
Refers to whether the findings can be applied to others with the same characteristics
Depends on the sample
Generalisability
Refers to whether broad statements can be made from the data
Depends on the representativeness of the group being studied
Quantitative Data
Information usually in the form of numbers
Qualitative Data
Information usually in the form of words
Primary Data
Information gained directly by the sociologist
Secondary Data
Information gained from sources collected by someone that’s not the sociologist
Correlations
Statistical relationships between two variables
Objectivity
Refers to the researcher remaining value free during the researxh
Subjectivity
Refers to where the personal values of the researcher influence the research
Hypothesis
A statement that can be tested to see whether it is false
Case Study
Research that examines a single example of something in society/a singular person
Comparative Method
A method that compares two social groups that are alike apart from one factor
Control Group
Refers to a group during experiments which is not exposed to the variable under investigation
Measures changes in the experimental group that is exposed to the other variable
Content Analysis
A method of analysing content of documents and media output
Close-Ended Questions
Questions in a social survey that only allow a choice of answer from a preset list
Open-Ended Questions
Questions in a social survey that allow respondents to answer in their own words
Public Documents
Contain info produced by organisations, such as schools
Private Documents
Contains information created by individuals such as diaries
Ethics
Issues of right and wrong, usually based on moral principles or guidelines
Hawthorne Effect
Where people in a research study know they are being studied and act differently as a result
Informed Consent
Where participants are aware and have agreed to be involved with the stufy
Interpretivism
A non-scientific approach to research which attempts to understand the motivation behind individual actions
Positivism
A scientific approach to research which attempts to establish laws of cause and effect
Interview Schedule
The list of questions to be asked in an interview
Longitudinal Study
Involves a sample of people in which information is collected over an extended period of time
Operationalisation
The process of turning a sociological concept into something measurable e.g., defining social class by occupation
Pilot Study
A small-scale, trial run of the research which is designed to identify any problems before the actual research takes place
Response Rate
The percentage of the sample that participated in the research
Sample
The cross-section of people chosen in research to represent the views of the majority
Sampling
Process of selecting a sample
Sampling Frame
A list of members of the research population
Triangulation
Refers to when two or more methods of data are used during research
Variables
Any factor that can change or vary
Independent Variable (IV)
The causal factor
What is changed to cause the DV
Dependent Variable (DV)
The effect
What is measured/observed
