Methods: Types of Data Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

Primary Data

A

Information which was not present before the research began. Produced by the researcher first hand during actual study.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Primary Research Methods

A

Questionnaires, Interviews, observations.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Primary Data:

Advantages and disadvantages

A

Sociologists will be able to gather precisely the information they need to test their hypotheses. However, it can be both time consuming and expensive.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Secondary Data

A

Data which already exists. Includes data from historical records, official statistics, government reports, newspapers, diaries, autobiographies, novels etc.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Secondary Research Methods

A

Looking through archives, online research.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Secondary Data:

Advantages and disadvantages

A

Can be a quick and cheap way of gaining insight into the chosen research topic. However it may have been produced for different reasons therefore the data might not exactly correlate to the chosen topic of research.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Quantitative Data

A

Information in a numerical form which can be subject to statistical analysis.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Examples of Qualitative Data:

A

Official Statistics on how many girls passed 5 or more GCSEs.
League tables showing a schools achievement data.
Proportions of girls from MC backgrounds attending Uni.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Quantitative Data:

Advantages and disadvantages

A

Useful for measuring the strength of relationships between different variables. Can be shown as statistics and displayed in pictorial form such as graphs or pie charts. However Interpretivists would argue it only gives a snapshot picture and lacks depth.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Qualitative Data

A

All types of data that are not numerical.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Examples of Qualitative Data:

A

Descriptive data from classroom observation looking at teacher pupil interaction.
Quotes from interviews.
Written sources on LEA policy.
A newspaper article assessing the current state of education.
Pictures and photographs contrasting two different schools.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Qualitative Data:

Advantages and disadvantages

A

Can often provide a richer and more in depth picture of social life than the statistics provided by quantitative data. It gives a ‘feel’ of what something is like. However it thus lacks the ability to be used for generalisation which positivists would criticise.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Validity

A

Data is valid if it presents a true, genuine, and accurate picture, description or measurement which enables the researcher to get close to the truth.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Validity Example

A

If a Sociologist captured in their research how it felt to be labelled negatively by a teacher.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Reliability

A

Data is reliable when different researchers using the same methods obtain the sae results - it is replicated (a replica).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Reliability Example

A

If a number of researchers observed the same tier in a school and produced the same description of pupils’ behaviour, their results would be seen as being reliable.

17
Q

Reliable not valid data:

A

The position of schools in the league table may be based on reliable achievement data, but it may not represent a valid picture of the school, its standard of teaching ect.

18
Q

Repeatability

A

Can the data be repeated in the same scenario?