note 1: Social science research methods Flashcards
what are the pros of Participant observation
access to social groups who otherwise would not give consent to be studied
what are the cons of P.O.
researcher may become involved in dangerous or criminal behaviors
GOING NATIVE-PO
- researcher becomes a full time group participant
- difficulty in recording data
NATURAL OBSERVATION
-researcher watches subject in a natural setting without interacting with them
What are the pros of natural Observation
- the avoidance of ethics since the group is aware of the researchers role
- data is more easily recorded
What are the cons of natural Observation
with natural observation the behavior of the subjects may change due to presence of the researcher
what is the observer effect
when the behaviour of the subject changes due to the presence of the observer
Library Research
researcher studies and analyzes stats and other studies
when would the Library research technique be used?
- historical events
- unavailable people to ask
Survey
researcher uses representative sample (small group) and applies their findings to a larger group
what are the two types of questions on a survey
quantitative: normally a yes or no question
qualitative : open ended questions “why?” at the end
intrerview
face to face interrogation
two types of interview
informal: go with the flow no prepared question
gen int guide approach: predetermined questions
pros and cons of interviews
pros: more info obtained than surveys
cons: time consuming
case study
researcher studies the same subject over a long period of time
