research Flashcards
Social surveys give ___ data
Social surveys give quantitative data
- social surveys tend to be used by positivists
- the data can be analysed to see a pattern
- they’re reliable so government agencies and research companies use them.
Social survey limiting factors:
- It could be too expensive
- It can take a long time to gather information from an entire population.
- Some people may not be representative of the target population so it may be invalid
- Accuracy of generalisation
Questionnaires mainly give __ data
Quantitative data
- The reliability and validity depends on how the questionnaire is structured
What data do closed questions give
Quantitative data (positivists prefer this data)
What data do open-ended questions give
Qualitative data (interpretivists prefer this data)
Questionnaires should…
- Use simple and clear questions
- Give clear instructions and be easy for respondent
- Give a range of options on multiple-choice questions
- Measure what you want to measure
Questionnaires shouldn’t…
- Ask embarrassing questions
- Ask two questions instead of one
- Be too long
- Use sociological terms that people may not understand
- Manipulate the respondent’s answer
Advantages of Questionnaires
- Easy to administer and lots of data can be collected fast.
- Reliable.
- Anonymous and makes them suitable for sensitive questions.
- They produce representative data
limitations of questionnaires
- Respondents may not be telling the truth
- Questions may be misleading
- Respondents can’t give extra information
- Postal questionnaires are a small sample therefore, not always representative of a population.
What is an interview?
An interview is a conversation between a researcher and an interviewee where the interviewer asks a set of questions.
Structured interviews give __ data
Quantitative
Unstructured interviews give __ data
Qualitative
Experiments let you find…
Cause and effect
kinds of experiments:
Lab experiments and field experiments
What is a lab experiment?
Lab experiments are done in controlled environments. The researcher changes the independent variable and observes the effect on the dependent variable. This method is used by positivists
what is a field experiment?
Field experiments are a response to the criticisms of lab experiments. They take place outside of a lab in real social settings, also those involved are normally unaware. This method is used by interpretivists
Observations are…
An observation is watching behaviour in real life settings.
Covert Observations
Covert observations are observations where the researcher does not tell the group that they are being observed.
Example of when covert observations have been used
Nigel fielding’s experiment in 1981 when he observed the National Front ( a far-right political party)
Overt observations
An Overt observation is when the researcher tells the group that they are being observed
Example of when overt observations have been used
Beverley Skeggs in 1991 when studying female sexuality among students in college
Participant observation
Participant observation is when a researcher becomes a part of a group to gain a better understanding on a subject
Non-participant observation
Non-participant observation is when a researcher observes a group but does not become a part of the group and does not partake in the activities that the group may be involved with
