official statistics

Question 1

official statistics

Answer 1

quantitative data collected by government bodies. favoured by positivists because data is quick, cheap and easy to access, and it covers a wide range of social issues

Question 2

advantages (3)

Answer 2

practical - cheap, easy to obtain and easy to access. for example, through the Office of National Statistics website

collected at regular interviews, so you can compare trends over time. for example, the census is completed every 10 years

representative - official statistics cover large groups of people. for example, crime statistics are compiled by police across the entire country

Question 3

disadvantages (2)

Answer 3

the government collects these statistics for its own benefit, so they may not cover what sociologists specifically want to study

definitions may be different. for example, what the government considers ‘poverty’ may not be the same as a sociologist