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sociology - methods > Primary Qualitative Methods > Flashcards

Primary Qualitative Methods Flashcards

1
Q

study using unstructured questionnaire?

A

dean and taylor - employment

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2
Q

what is an unstructured questionnaire?

A

series of questions in no set order and wording can be adapted for circumstances and inappropriate Qs taken out.

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3
Q

practical strengths of unstructured questionnaires?

A

personal characteristics won’t affect as researcher doesn’t have to be present.
access gained.

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4
Q

practical weaknesses of unstructured questionnaires?

A

don’t actually know who’s completed it.
low response rate.
expensive.
time consuming.

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5
Q

ethical strengths of unstructured questionnaires?

A

if anonymous, protects person more than other methods.
no obligation to answer sensitive Qs.
may be able to explore more sensitive topics.
informed consent can be obtained.

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6
Q

ethical weaknesses of unstructured questionnaires?

A

asking about sensitive topics may cause emotional harm.
if data is shared unknowingly - deception.

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7
Q

theoretical strengths of unstructured questionnaires?

A

produces qualitative data.
can clarify meanings
provides in depth understanding.
gain verstehen.

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8
Q

theoretical weaknesses of unstructured questionnaires?

A

lacks reliability
can’t gain quantitative data
not representative
data may be biased

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9
Q

what is an unstructured interview?

A

guided conversation with interviewer having themes and topics that they want to discuss. no set structure.

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10
Q

what is a focus group?

A

researcher may start discussion but then withdraws encouraging respondents to talk to each other.

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11
Q

what is a group interview?

A

multiple interviewed at once, may be used to investigate group dynamics or for children who may feel threatened in one to one interview.

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12
Q

what is a panel interview?

A

researcher asks questions to group.

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13
Q

studies using unstructured interviews?

A

dobash & dobash
carlen

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14
Q

studies using focus groups?

A

zoe james
paul willis

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15
Q

practical strengths of unstructured interviews?

A

informal nature allows rapport
can check understanding
can ask follow up Qs
flexible
gain more detailed insights

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16
Q

practical weaknesses of unstructured interviews?

A

time consuming
interviewer needs training
interpersonal skills required

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17
Q

ethical strengths of unstructured interviews?

A

building rapport can gain trust and help to open up
don’t have to reveal anything they don’t want to
informed consent

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18
Q

ethical weaknesses of unstructured interviews?

A

may be uncomfortable discussing sensitive issues face to face.
recalling negative experiences may cause emotional harm.

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19
Q

theoretical strengths of unstructured interviews?

A

can gain verstehen
build trust and understanding
flexibility increases validity
can express views detailedly

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20
Q

theoretical weaknesses of unstructured interviews?

A

unstandardised reduces reliability
social desirability

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21
Q

practical strength of focus groups?

A

quicker than interviews
can generate more ideas that wouldn’t have got one on one.

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22
Q

practical weakness of focus group?

A

takes long time to analyse data
may be difficult to control big group

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23
Q

ethical strengths of focus groups?

A

informed consent gained
suitable for younger groups as mirrors small groups in classroom.

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24
Q

ethical weaknesses of focus groups?

A

may be uncomfortable if sensitive issues are discussed.
may not feel able to withdraw due to group dynamic.

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25
Q

theoretical strengths of focus groups?

A

can build rapport and gain verstehen.
may feel more comfortable with others and open up more.

26
Q

theoretical weaknesses of focus groups?

A

social desirability
may not be representative
all interviewees may not contribute.

27
Q

what is a longitudinal study?

A

study which follows same group over a long period of time.

28
Q

study who used longitudinal study?

A

national child development study.
7up.
millenium cohort study

29
Q

practical strengths of longitudinal studies?

A

none!

30
Q

practical weaknesses of longitudinal studies?

A

hard to maintain everyone
obvs time consuming
expensive

31
Q

ethical strengths of longitudinal studies?

A

informed consent

32
Q

ethical weakness of longitudinal studies?

A

may feel obliged to continue

33
Q

theoretical strengths of longitudinal studies?

A

valid
correlations

34
Q

theoretical weaknesses of longitudinal studies?

A

hawthorne effect
not very representative
low reliability

35
Q

what is hawthorne effect?

A

participants change behaviour as they know they’re being observed.

36
Q

what is ‘going native’?

A

researcher becomes so embedded in group that they lose objectivity.

37
Q

what is covert observation?

A

participants do not know about research and researcher is undercover

38
Q

what is overt observation?

A

participants do know about research.

39
Q

what is ethnographic research?

A

involves direct observation of group studying culture and structure of social group.

40
Q

strength of ethnographic research?

A

high in validity

41
Q

weakness of ethnographic research?

A

not very generalisable.

42
Q

what is a grounded theory?

A

trying to understand group first before forming hypothesis.

43
Q

example of ethnographic study?

A

blackman - homeless people in brighton.

44
Q

what is action research?

A

collaboration between researcher and participants. noone in power.

45
Q

what is non participant observation?

A

researcher observes group without getting involved, stay detached.

46
Q

what is participant observation?

A

researcher joins in with activities of group as member.

47
Q

studies who used covert participant studies?

A

Patrick- glasgow gangs
Humphreys- gay men in tearooms.

48
Q

studies who used overt participant observation studies?

A

Barker - unification church
Venkatesh - chicago gang.

49
Q

studies using non participant observation?

A

Willis.

50
Q

practical strengths of participant observations?

A

rapport developed.
overt allows for naive questions only outsider would ask.
covert gives access to ppl who would say no.

51
Q

practical weaknesses of participant observations?

A

difficult to get in stay in and get out.
covert requires keeping up an act.
if covert, relying on memory
if overt, may refuse permission.

52
Q

ethical strengths of participant observations?

A

overt, don’t have to use deception
don’t have to illegal things
debrief - participants are told at the end
able to keep participants names anonymous.

53
Q

ethical weaknesses of participant observations?

A

deception
lack of informed consent
may have to lie about reason for leaving group.
may have to do illegal things.

54
Q

theoretical strengths of participant observations?

A

valid
less chance of hawthorne effect
verstehen

55
Q

theoretical weaknesses of participant observations?

A

lacks structure
can’t be objective
overt, hawthorne effect.

56
Q

practical strengths of nonparticipant observations?

A

is observation schedule can be quicker than participant.
usually in neutral setting so easier to gain access.

57
Q

practical weaknesses of nonparticipant observation?

A

hard to get access to certain groups
time consuming

58
Q

ethical strengths of nonparticipant observations?

A

informed consent
safer for researcher
don’t have to worry about cover being blown

59
Q

ethical weaknesses of nonparticipant observations?

A

lack of informed consent if group was unwilling to cooperate.
deception if they dk what its for.

60
Q

theoretical strengths of nonparticipant observations?

A

more structured so more reliable.
don’t have to ‘go native’
less bias

61
Q

theoretical weaknesses of nonparticipant observation?

A

no verstehen
hawthorne effect
validitity affected as researcher has to make judgements.

sociology - methods (5 decks)

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