research methods

Question 1

validity definition?

Answer 1

A true or genuine picture of what soemthings really like

Question 2

ethics definition?

Answer 2

issues of right and wrong - moral principles

Question 3

reliability definition?

Answer 3

a piece of research is reliable if it produces exacly the same results when repeated in identical conditions

Question 4

generalisability definition?

Answer 4

refers to when research finding are applicable to the wider society

Question 5

objectivity definition?

Answer 5

the absence of bias or percieved ideas

Question 6

questionnaires definition?

Answer 6

refers to lists of questions prepared by the researcher all respondents anwer the same questions

Question 7

ethnography definition?

Answer 7

the direct observation of a group and often involves participation to investigate the way the group experiences and interprets the social world

Question 8

survey definition?

Answer 8

a research method that involves systematically collecting nfo from a group of people by asking them questions- large scale

Question 9

gatekeeper definition?

Answer 9

refers to someone with the trust and respect of a group that can ease the intro of a researcher

Question 10

quantitative data definition?

Answer 10

info in numerical form

Question 11

qualititative data definition?

Answer 11

info (usually words) about peoples thoughts feelings motivations attidues.,.

Question 12

primary data definition?

Answer 12

info collected first hand by sociologist flr their own research purposes

Question 13

positivism definition?

Answer 13

the belief that society is made up of ‘social facts’ that can be studies scietifically to discover laws of cause and effect

Question 14

anti positivism definition

Answer 14

focuses on how we construct social meanings through interactions with others, they believe human beings cannot be studied scientifically in the same way as the natural world

Question 15

official statistics definition?

Answer 15

quantitative data collected by the government and other official bodies

Question 16

secondary data definition?

Answer 16

information collected not by sociologists themselves for their own research puposes, but by other people or organisations for non sociological purposes

Question 17

longitudina survey definition?

Answer 17

study of a sample of people in which info is collected at regular intervals over am extended period of time

Question 18

triangulation definition?

Answer 18

the use of two or more different methods or sources of data, the strengths of one tend to counter the weaknesses in the other

Question 19

strengths of quantitative data?

Answer 19

• can identify trends over time
• can make comparisons between social groups
• easliy analysed and interpreted
• reliable

Question 20

weaknesses of quantitative data?

Answer 20

• lacks validity and subjectivity
• respondants are not allowed to expand on their opinions
• statisics can be biased

Question 21

strengths of qualitative research methods?

Answer 21

• high validity
• subjective
• respondent can expand on meanings and interpretations of their behaviour

Question 22

weaknesses of qualitative data?

Answer 22

• lacks comparative data which can be analysed in statistical form - no trends indetified
• lacks reliability and objectivity
• small scale/not repersentative