Research Methods

Question 1

Participant Observation - Covertly/Overtly

Answer 1

Example =Venkatesh Gang leader for a day

☑Strengths ☑
✔ (Practical) INSIDERS PERSPECTIVE = It’s most often used with diff areas of research, and often does reveal interesting insights into these groups which would not be gained from an outsider’s perspective
✔(Practical) CONFIDENT / RAPPORT - create a strong a strong link between the researcher and the social group, which means the group may confide with the R on issues that may have remained hidden
✔ (Ethical) Wth PB THE ETHICAL CONSIDER DEP ON IF OV OR COV
✔ (Theoretical) VESTEHEN - because u have actually joined the group and r interacting with the group , = u can exp the situation the group take part in and insight into the soicla world through the pov’s of the group = highly valid.
✔ (Theoretical) GETTNG TO THE TRUTH - a problem w Questionnaires and interviews is that ppl can lie. More diff in PO and if they do, because the recorder is participating

☒Limitation☒
〤(Practical) TIME CONSUMING, EXPENSIVE + REALLY DISRUPTIVE to a researcher family life. Also staying in a sit may be stressful, demanding and even dangerous if done Covertly
〤(Practical) HAWTHORNE EFFECT- the presence of the Observer- will make the group act differently this can happen if the researcher is to carry out Covert or Overt observation
〤(Ethics) BREACH OF PRIVACY- if the group doesn’t realise or give consent = brings ethical issues. Group may engage in illegal or immoral activities will u also engage
〤 (Theoretical) GOING NATIVE - main problem wth PO = R works too close to the group under study, they might start to see the world purely from the group’ POV. =Might mean they miss valuable insight into the group
〤 (Theoretical) LACK RELIABILITY AND REPRESENTATIVENESS - as they are done on a small group for a certain period of time they are unlikely to be replicable or to be able to generalised to wider society

〤 (Theoretical) LACKS OBJECTIVITY - Positivists would say because the researcher is immersed in a social sit they are subjective and biased impression made by the observer

Question 2

Non-Participant Observation - Covertly/Overtly

Answer 2

Example = Classroom observation

☑Strengths ☑
✔ (Practical) MORE COST/TIME EFFICIENT Compared to PO they may be less time consuming as u have not got to integrate or gain acceptance in a group
✔ (Practical) QUANTITATIVE DATA possibility of using it as it would be structured Observation Schedule to record data easily esp Covert, = should be more Reliable
✔ (Ethically) U not joining the group so if done Overtly CONSENT GAINED. + u r less likely to invade individual’s privacy
✔ (Theoretical) Objectivity - Positivists would suggest this type of observation is more objective and not participating means it is easier to be objective when interpreting group behaviour
✔ (Theoretical) REDUCED HAWTHRONE EFFECT - R is less likely to influence the group’s behaviour as they are not actually joining in with the group’s behaviour + activities

☒Limitation☒
〤(Practical) MIGHT NOT BE PRACTICALLY POSSIBLE to conduct non-participant observation on certain groups.
〤(Ethical) IF NOT DONE COVERTLY THERE MAY BE ETHICAL ISSUES OF CONSENT, DECEPTION AND INVASION OF PRIVACY
〤 (Theoretical) LACKS VALIDITY - as its superficial, observing from the outside leaves researcher w limited understanding of what they have observed and therefore method lack V

Question 3

Interviews - Structured - (similar to Questionnaires)

Answer 3

☑Strengths ☑
✔ (Practical) INTERVIEWER PRESENT = RESPONSE RATE HIGHER. harder to refuse face to face
✔ (Practical) ILLITERATE e.g Children
✔ (Theoretical) MORE VALID as INTERVIEWER CLARIFY MEANING OF QUESTION

☒Limitation☒
〤(Practical) MORE COSTLY than a postal questionnaire as u have to train interviewer
〤(Ethically) NOT ETHICAL AS QUESTIONNAIRE INDIVI FEEL PRESSURED to participate and answer due to presence
〤(Theoretical) Validity of the answer may be affected by INTERVIEWER BIAS were characteristics of the interviewer influence response.

Question 4

Interview

• Unstructured (uses no set questions is a natural convo)
• Semi-structured (some set Q but u free to explore)

Answer 4

☑strenghts☑
✔Suitable for sensitive issues (T)
✔ Fewer Ethical problems + Individual can choose to not answer Q they - (E)
✔Interview more valid as there no set of Q so more discussion, free to express themselves (T)
✔Interpretivism = easier for R to clarify a participant meaning and gaining insight into those meanings = this is what is important in conducting research (T)
✔Highly flexible research tool = not restricted by Qs in advance so can generate new ideas.(T)

☒Limitation ☒
〤too long as they in depth - qualititavie nature of info takes longer to anaylse = more costly(P)
〤Expensive and time consuming = Few can be carried out = sample unrep(T)
〤NOT Reliable as they unstandadised (T)
〤Postivists would suggest that interviewer bias and the relationship between the interviewee and the participant will distort the data gained making it subjective and non-scientific (T)
〤Social desirability Bias, interviewer Bias effecting validity of data (T)

Question 5

INTERVIEWS Group - (researcher interviews several people in one sitting)

Answer 5

Example = Paul Willis 1977 –Learning to Labour

STRENGTHSLIMITATIONS
•Researcher is present to explain the questions
.•Good to use when researching children.
•Increased depth of data
•Participants can bounce off each other
•Verstehen 

LIMITATIONS 
•Lacks reliability
•Researcher Effect (Demand Characteristics & social Desirability)
•Peer Group Pressures
•Time Consuming
•Expensive to train interviewers
•Not Anonymous