PET Issues in Choosing Methods and Topics

Question 1

give 7 examples of PRACTICAL issues in choosing methods and topics

Answer 1

funding bodies
access to participants
impact of research
opportunities to conduct research
time
cost
participants

Question 2

explain how funding bodies is a practical issue in choosing methods and topics (4)

Answer 2

who will pay for the research
what criteria might they place upon the research
what are their interests
they may be governments, businesses, charities and universities

Question 3

explain how access to participants is a practical issue in choosing methods and topics

Answer 3

depends how easy it will be to study the target group

Question 4

explain how the impact of research is a practical issue of choosing methods and topics

Answer 4

will it advance our understanding of society

Question 5

explain how opportunity to conduct research is a practical issue in choosing methods and topics

Answer 5

is it feasible for the researcher to conduct researching topics ?

Question 6

explain how time is a practical issue in choosing methods and topics

Answer 6

how long will it take to conduct research, to collect, to interpret data, is additional training needed

Question 7

explain how cost is a practical issue in choosing methods and topics (3)

Answer 7

how much will it cost
will it require multiple researchers
does it have hidden costs

Question 8

explain how participants is a practical issue in choosing methods and topics

Answer 8

what sampling methods will be used to select participants ? will gatekeeper permission be required

Question 9

give all ethical issues in choosing methods and topics (6)

Answer 9

ethic committees
security
confidentiality
deception
informed consent
protection from harm

Question 10

explain how ethic committees are an ethical issue in choosing methods and topics (and give example)

Answer 10

eg British Sociological Association provide ethical guidelines for research proposals

Question 11

explain how security is an ethical issue in choosing methods and topics

Answer 11

all data must be kept in accordance with GDPR guidelines

Question 12

explain how confidentiality is an ethical issue in choosing methods and topics

Answer 12

will research expose issues if confidentiality
how will participants react to disclosing info that may threaten their jobs and safety

Question 13

explain how deception is an ethical issue in choosing methods and topics

Answer 13

are we being honest with participants?
is there a need to hide the fact we are conducting research ?

Question 14

explain how informed consent is an ethical issue when choosing methods and topics

Answer 14

are participants aware of the aims of the study / if they are apart if the research

Question 15

explain how protection from harm is an ethical issue when choosing methods and topics

Answer 15

are participants of research likely to be placed in physical or psychological harm

Question 16

give 7 theoretical issues with choosing methods and topics

Answer 16

sociologists values
aim of research
methodological preferences
type of data being collected
reliability
validity
representativity

Question 17

explain his sociologists values is a theoretical issue with choosing topics and methods

Answer 17

what is their theoretical perspective; what are their personal interests and involvements in the topic

Question 18

explain how the aim of research is a theoretical issue in choosing methods and topics

Answer 18

is the research being used to further knowledge or inform social policy

Question 19

explain how methodological preferences is a theoretical issue in choosing methods and topics

Answer 19

what methods are preferred by the researcher when conducting the research

Question 20

explain how the type of data being collected is a theoretical issue in choosing methods and topics

Answer 20

does the research require quantitative or qualitative data

Question 21

explain how reliability is a theoretical issue when choosing methods and topics

Answer 21

does it need to be replicable and will it be repeated by others

Question 22

explain how validity is a theoretical issue when choosing methods and topics

Answer 22

is the purpose of the research to gain an understanding of human behaviour is in a specific context

Question 23

explain how representivity is a theoretical issue when choosing methods and topics

Answer 23

is the research meant to represent society as a while or be a window into the lives of an individual