Methods: Research Design Flashcards
PET factors
Practical, theoretical, and ethical factors and influences impact of a sociologists choice of RM.
Practical Factors influencing choice of RM:
Time and Money
Deadlines could influence on choice of method. As some methods are time consuming, whereas some are time efficient. For example interviews can be more time consuming. More lengthy RM are usually also more costly. More researchers involved in a project (Et Al) and the training of researchers can also cause rising costs.
Practical Factors influencing choice of RM:
Funding Body
Whoever is funding the research may be in a position to dictate how they want the research to be conducted, what form results should be in, and the duration of the research. Funding body may also have preference for Qualitative of Quantitative RM.
Practical Factors influencing choice of RM:
Personal Character and Social Skills
The sociologists own personality and character may influence their ability to conduct research. For example a more introverted researcher might choose to use a postal questionnaire because it is more detached. Some research methods are minimal which suit detached personalities.
Practical Factors influencing choice of RM:
Social Status
The Social Status of the researcher could influence a topic they are interested in. Their age, gender, class, and ethnicity could influence their personal opinion on which RM is most appropriate.
Ethics
The moral principles dictating what is right and wrong which guide research.
Practical Factors influencing choice of RM:
Research opportunity
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. For example, in a spontaneous research opportunity there is no time to draft questionnaires.
Ethical Issues influencing choice of RM:
Informed Consent
Research participants should be given the opportunity to agree or refuse to participate in research. The decision should be ‘informed’ so some information of the study should be offered, and participants should not be deceived.
Ethical Issues influencing choice of RM:
Confidentiality and Privacy
Researchers should respect the privacy of the participants and their identity and personal information should be kept confidential.
Ethical Issues influencing choice of RM:
Protection
Researchers need to be aware of the possible effects of their work on those they study and where possible try to anticipate and prevent any harmful consequences.
Ethical Issues influencing choice of RM:
Vulnerable groups
Special care should be taken where research participants are particularly vulnerable because of their age, physical, or mental health ect.
Theoretical issues Influencing Choice of RM
There are two contrasting approaches in sociology, referred to as Positivism and Interpretivism. These are based on a very different view and perspective of how society works, what drives our behaviour and how research should be conducted.
Positivism
- Sees sociology as a science
- Takes a top-down approach to society
- Seek to measure the impact of society on behaviour
- Seek to discover patterns of behaviour
- Value detached objective data
- Adopt a macro level of analysis
- Prefer quantitative RM
Interpretivism
- Reject view of sociology as a science
- Take a bottom up approach
- Seek to understand social actors’ meanings
- Seek to interpret and understand behaviour
- Recognise the value of subjective in-depth data
- Adopt a micro level on analysis
- Prefer qualitative RM
Stages of Research Design:
Choosing a topic
Sociologists need to choose what topic they wish to study, this will be guided by:
- Theoretical perspective
- Personal Identity, Status
- Contemporary significance
- Research bodies
- Personal interests
Stages of Research Design:
Formulating an Aim or Hypothesis
Most research will have either a general aim or hypothesis to test.
Research Aim
Identifies what the sociologist intends to study and hopes to achieve by conducting their research. E.g to research reasons for educational underachievement.
Hypothesis
A predictive statement that can be supported or challenged. An idea that can be tested. E.g Material deprivation leads to educational underachievement.
Advantage of using a Hypothesis in sociological research:
Gives direction to research and focus to the questions asked.
How do sociologists formulate a Hypothesis?
Creating a hypothesis requires the sociologist to think up a possible explanation and often they do this by drawing on previous research that has been conducted on the topic, but it could be from anywhere. If the evidence gathered shows the hypothesis is false, then it must be discarded, and attention could be directed to new areas of research.
Stages of Research Design:
Operationalising Concepts
Operationalising means defining the variable so that in can be tested. In order to test a hypothesis the abstract ideas central to it should be ‘operationalised’. Once the sociologist has an ‘operational’ definition of the concept, they can write questions that measure it. Before research starts, sociological ideas must be defined in a way that can be measured.
Operationalising concepts - Example
Suppose a sociologist is testing ‘Material deprivation leads to educational underachievement’, they need to define what constitutes ‘material deprivation and ‘educational underachievement’ to then measure the impact or develop questions or a survey.
Stages of Research Design:
The pilot study
A pilot study is a small scale preliminary (draft) study before the actual study. It is useful to pick out errors in the original research design. Allows faults to be identified and amended or improved. After carrying out the pilot study, it should be possible to finalise the questionnaire or interview schedule.
Stages of Research Design
1) Choosing a topic
2) Formulating an Aim or Hypothesis
3) Operationalising Concepts
4) The pilot study
5) Sampling
Stages of Research Design:
Sampling
Sociologists often aim to produce generalisations that apply to all cases of the topic and people they are researching, not just those involved in the study. The purpose of sampling is to ensure that those selected are representative of the target population. If the sample is representative generalisation can be made.
