Research Methods

Question 1

What is primary data (give three examples)

Answer 1

Primary data has been collected directly by the researchers themselves.

E.g:

• observation
• questionnaires/ surveys/ interviews
• first hand experience

Question 2

Why is social research so important? (3)

Answer 2

• limits crime
• improves society
• improves education
• better understanding of the wider societies

Question 3

What is secondary research (give 3 examples).

Answer 3

Secondary data are sources which have been used by sociologists but collected by other people.

E.g:

• TV documentaries
• personal documents, diaries, texts
• official statistics

Question 4

What other name is given to the ‘monies’

Answer 4

The unification church

Question 5

Who studied the moonies? What research method(s) did she use?

Answer 5

Eileen Barker; triangulation method

Question 6

What is objective data?

Answer 6

Information gathered reflects what is really out there in the world, knowledge free from bias, opinions and values of the researcher; it can be measured.

Question 7

What is subjective data?

Answer 7

Knowledge that only reflects the narrow opinions of researchers; based on the opinions of the individual.

Question 8

What are the theories of methodology (5)

Answer 8

• positivism
• interpretivism
• realism
• feminist methodology
• science vs sociology

Question 9

What is quantitative data? Give an example.

Answer 9

Information that appears in numerical form or statistics. E.g graphs, closed questions

Question 10

What is qualitative data? Give an example

Answer 10

Information in written form, e.g. transcripts of interviews, newspapers.

Question 11

What are the three factors/ issues of research methods

Answer 11

Ethical
Practical
Theoretical

Question 12

Practical issues (8)

Answer 12

Personal interest
Personal characteristics
Cost
Funding
Time
Access/ subject matter
Opportunity
Relevance

Question 13

Who carried out the study ‘gang leader for a day’

Answer 13

Sudhir Venkatesh

Question 14

Ethical factors (6)

Answer 14

Informed consent
Confidentiality and privacy
Effects on participants
Vulnerable groups
Covert research
Lack of access

Question 15

Case study: impersonal sex in public places; who carried out this study? Why?

Answer 15

Laud humphreys, to gain more of an objective understanding of who the men are and what motivates them to seek quick, impersonal sexual gratification.

Question 16

What research methods did humphreys use?

Answer 16

Covert Participant observation, unstructured interviews.

Question 17

Did anything come out of humphreys research?

Answer 17

Yes;it persuaded police to stop using their resources on arrest for this victimless crime. Social benefit..?

Question 18

What research methods did venkatesh use…?

Answer 18

Questionnaires, observations and unstructured data interviews. Covertly collecting certain data and information. Personal experience.

Question 19

What did venkatesh obtain from his study?

Answer 19

Housing projects in Chicago were largely controlled by street gangs who made their money by dealing drugs and extortion, gambling, prostitution and selling property. He named this ‘outlaw capitalism’ it provided society with important information on how criminal gangs were managed.

Question 20

Theoretical factors (6)

Answer 20

• bias
• objectivity
• reliability
• representativeness
• validity
• verstehen

Question 21

What is positivism

Answer 21

A philosophy of social science and theory of methodology which suggests social behaviour should be researched with the same principles applied to natural science.

Question 22

What are Marxism and feminism sometimes referred to as…?

Answer 22

Committed sociology

Question 23

What factors influence the sociologists choice of topic?

Answer 23

• the sociologists perspective
• society’s values
• practical values
• practical factors
• funding bodies