key terms bank

Question 1

triangluation

Answer 1

the use of two or more research methods in a single peice of research to check the validity and reliability of research evidence

Question 2

informal interview

Answer 2

a non-formal job interview, often held in a neutral setting

Question 3

covert observation

Answer 3

where the researcher is “undercover”; the participants are unaware that they are being observed

Question 4

interview schedule

Answer 4

an organizational tool to plan the course of a meeting with a candidate and identify the questions they want to ask

Question 5

methodological pluralism

Answer 5

involves finding value in a variety of sources of information, including believing that no research method is inherently superior to any other

the use of a variety of methods in a single peice of research

Question 6

focus group interview

Answer 6

It is performed by planned discussion and interview with a small group of people conducted

Question 7

demand characteristics

Answer 7

cues that might indicate the study aims to participants

Question 8

structured interview

Answer 8

a systematic approach to interviewing where you ask the same predetermined questions to all candidates in the same order and you rate them with a standardized scoring system

Question 9

interview bias

Answer 9

where the expectations or opinions of the interviewer interferes with the judgement of the interviewee

Question 10

paticipent observation

Answer 10

a research methodology where the researcher is immersed in the day-to-day activities of the participants

Question 11

impression management

Answer 11

conscious or subconscious process in which people attempt to influence the perceptions of other people about a person, object or event by regulating and controlling information in social interaction

Question 12

non response

Answer 12

occurs when those who opt out of a survey are systematically different from those who complete it, in ways that are significant for the research study

Question 13

official statistics

Answer 13

statistics that are produced by crown bodies, those acting on behalf of crown bodies, or those specified in statutory orders

Question 14

content analysis

Answer 14

a research tool used to determine the presence of certain words, themes, or concepts within some given qualitative data

Question 15

qualitative data

Answer 15

Information conserned with descriptions of the meanings and interpretations people have some issue or event. This type of data is favoured by interpretivists

Question 16

quantitative data

Answer 16

Information that can be expressed in statistical or number form. Positivists would favour this type of data because it is objective and measureable.

Question 17

primary data

Answer 17

data collected by the researcherr themselves

Question 18

secondary data

Answer 18

contains data which already exosts and which researchers havent collected themselves

Question 19

reliability

Answer 19

concerns whether another researcher, if repeating the research using the same research on the same group, would achieve the same result

Question 20

validity

Answer 20

concerned with notions of truth

Question 21

representativeness

Answer 21

whether the individuals making up the sample are typical of the wider social group

Question 22

reflexivity

Answer 22

act of a researcher constantly reflecting on the extent to which they themselves are impacting on their research and their findings.