Methods Past Paper Short Markers

Question 0

4 marks

Suggest two disadvantages of longitudinal studies

Answer 0

Sample attrition
Problems processing the large amount of info produced
Hawthorne effect
Costly
Demographic changes in the research population

Question 1

2 marks

Explain what is meant by the term objectivity

Answer 1

Absence of bias or prejudice - keeping personal opinions out of research

Question 2

4 marks

Suggest two advantages of using structured interviews in sociological research

Answer 2

Cheap
Quick
Training is straightforward 
High response rate
Repeatable

Question 3

4 marks

Suggest two reasons why sociologists sometimes use a pilot study

Answer 3

Test the sampling method
Give interviewers practice
Refine/clarify questions to be asked
Test the data analysis technique

Question 4

4 marks

Suggest two problems of using official stats

Answer 4

They lack validity
May be politically biased
May be out of date
Errors may be made when collecting the data

Question 5

2 marks

Explain what is meant by the term interview schedule

Answer 5

List of questions to be asked in an interview

Question 6

2 marks

Explain what is meant by the operationalisation of sociological concepts

Answer 6

Defining sociological concept in such a way that they can be studied/measured

Question 7

4 marks
Suggest two reasons why the results obtained from a postal questionnaire may not be representative of the population it aims to study

Answer 7

Those with strong views are more likely to complete the questionnaire
Only those with time will complete it
Only those will adequate literacy skills complete it
May be lost due to low response rate
May be complete by someone who isn’t apart of the research population

Question 8

4 marks

Suggest two factors that may influence a sociologists choice of research topic

Answer 8

Theoretical perspective
Funding bodies
Availability of data
Personal interest
Accessibility of the research context or group

Question 9

4 marks

Suggest two problems of covert participant observation

Answer 9

Lack of informed consent
Unrepresentative 
Not reliable 
Difficultly recording/remembering data 
Negative consequences of the researchers cover being blown

Question 10

4 marks

Suggest two sampling techniques

Answer 10

Random
Quota 
Snowball
Opportunity
Stratified random

Question 11

4 marks

Suggest two problems of using documents in sociological research

Answer 11

Lack of representativeness
Difficultly of access
Lack of authentically/credibility
Interpreting authors meanings

Question 12

4 marks

Explain the difference between a sampling frame and a sample

Answer 12

Sample frame is a list of people in a population

A sample is the individuals selected from the population to take part in the research

Question 13

2 marks

Explain what is meant by validity

Answer 13

A true authentic picture of the thing being studied

Question 14

2 marks

Explain what is meant by the Hawthorne effect

Answer 14

When people behave differently because they know they are being studied