Qualitative Research Methods

Question 1

According to interpretivists, why should sociologists use qualitative research methods?

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Question 2

In what way do unstructured interviews from structured interviews?

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Question 3

What is the main attraction of unstructured interviews?

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Question 4

Briefly explain the following practical issues associated with unstructured interviews:

• Rapport
• Training

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Question 5

Briefly explain the following practical issues associated with unstructured interviews:

• Time
• Large amounts of data

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Question 6

Briefly explain the following practical issues associated with unstructured interviews:

• Checking meanings
• Flexibility

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Question 7

Briefly explain the following practical issues associated with unstructured interviews:

• Limited knowledge of the subject
• No pre-set questions

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Question 8

What is the key criterion used by interpretivists to judge the usefulness of a method?

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Question 9

Briefly explain how valid data can be achieved through involvement.

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Question 10

According to Glaser and Strauss, why is it important to develop grounded theory?

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Question 11

Briefly explain why unstructured interviews are more likely to reveal the interviewee’s true meanings.

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Question 12

Why do positivists reject the use of unstructured interviews?

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Question 13

Briefly outline why positivists argue that unstructured interviews are not reliable.

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Question 14

Why are the answers from unstructured interviews hard to categorise and quantify?

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Question 15

According to positivists, why are unstructured interviews unlikely to be representative?

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Question 16

Why is representativeness less important for interpretivists?

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Question 17

According to positivists, why do unstructured interviews lack validity?

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Question 18

Briefly outline the following features of a feminist approach to research:

• Value-committed
• Involvement

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Question 19

Briefly outline the following feature of a feminist approach to research:
- Equality and collaboration

Answer 19

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Question 20

According to Oakley, why was it advantageous to use unstructured interviews to research women becoming mothers?

Answer 20

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Question 21

According to Pawson, why is Oakley’s approach not distinctively feminists or original?

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Question 22

Briefly explain non-participant observation.

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Question 23

Briefly explain participant observation.

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Question 24

What type of observation might positivists use?

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Question 25

Briefly describe overt observation.

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Question 26

Briefly describe covert observation.

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Question 27

Which is the most common form of observation used in sociology?

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Question 28

Using examples, explain the following problems associated with observation: - Getting in - Staying in - Getting out

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Question 29

Define verstehen.

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Question 30

Briefly outline how participant observation allows a sociologist to gain verstehen.

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Question 31

Briefly describe two kinds of group for whom participant observation might be the only suitable method for studying them.

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Question 32

Briefly explain why participant observation enables sociologists to discover things that other methods miss.

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Question 33

Briefly outline 5 practical limitations of using participant observation.

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Question 34

What is the key criterion used by interpretivists to judge the usefulness of a method?

Answer 34

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Question 35

Briefly explain how valid data can be achieved through involvement.

Answer 35

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Question 36

According to Glaser and Strauss, why is it important to develop grounded theory?

Answer 36

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Question 37

Briefly explain why participant observation is more likely to give a valid picture than interviews or questionnaires are.

Answer 37

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Question 38

Why do positivists reject the use of participant observation?

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Question 39

According to positivists, why is participant observation unlikely to be representative?

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Question 40

Briefly outline why positivists argue that participant observation is not reliable.

Answer 40

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Question 41

Briefly outline three ways in which participant observation lacks objectivity.

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Question 42

According to positivists, why does participant observation lack validity?

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Question 43

What is the Hawthorne effect and how does this affect participant observation?

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Question 44

Briefly outline four characteristics of structured non-participant observation.

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Question 45

Why do interpretivists reject structured observation?

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Question 46

Briefly outline three ethical issues associated with covert participant observation.

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Question 47

Briefly outline one ethical issue associated with both overt and covert participant observation.

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Question 48

Why might it be difficult to obtain informed consent for participant observation?

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Question 49

Briefly explain what is meant by 'going native'.

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Question 50

Identify one ethical issue associated with covert non-participant observation.

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Question 51

Why is participant observation favoured by 'action' perspectives?

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Question 52

Why might a functionalist use participant observation?

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Question 53

Give five examples of the following information sources: - Written texts - Other texts

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Question 54

Give examples of public document.

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Question 55

Give examples of personal documents.

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Question 56

Give examples of historical documents.

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Question 57

Briefly outline three advantages of using documents in sociological research.

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Question 58

Briefly outline two practical difficulties in using documents in sociological research.

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Question 59

Which methodological perspective favours the use of documents?

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Question 60

Use an example to illustrate the ways in which documents reveal individuals' meanings.

Answer 60

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Question 61

According to Soctt, why might documents lack validity?

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Question 62

Briefly explain why documents may not be reliable.

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Question 63

Briefly outline two reasons why documents may not be representative.

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Question 64

Briefly outline why using unpublished documents may raise ethical issues.

Answer 64

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Question 65

Why might their be justification for not gaining informed consent to use a document?

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Question 66

Why might there still be an ethical issue with the use of documents even when the author is dead?

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Question 67

Briefly outline how formal content analysis works.

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Question 68

Why is formal content analysis attractive to positivists?

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Question 69

Why might feminists use formal content analysis?

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Question 70

Briefly explain an interpretivist criticism of formal content analysis.

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Question 71

Briefly explain what is meant by thematic analysis.

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Question 72

Briefly outline two criticisms of thematic analysis.

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