Research Methods Flashcards
What are social facts?
The idea that human behaviour is shaped by external stimuli (things that happen to us (rather than internal stimuli (what goes in our mind)
How can social facts be expressed?
In statistics- can be analysed and understood in the same way scientists study the natural world as exist in relationships that can be observed, tested and measured
According to Durkheim, what is the 2 important steps to consider before beginning a research?
- Disregard all preconceptions- abandon personal feelings
- “Treat social facts as things”- only study external objective facts not internal subjective thoughts
What is the practical considerations influencing a choice of topic and methods?
Access, informed consent, time and funding, personal skills and characteristics
What is demography?
The study of stats such as births, deaths, income that illustrate the changing structures of human populations
Why is demography an interest to government?
They provide a broad understanding of the different characteristics of a population
What is a primary source that is also a quantitative method?
Questionnaires, structured interviews
What is a primary source that is also a qualitative method?
Participant observation, unstructured interviews
What is a secondary source that is also a quantitative method?
Official Statistics
What is a secondary source that is also a qualitative method?
Letters, newspapers, articles, pictures etc
What is the ethical considerations when choosing a topic/method?
Vulnerable groups, informed consent, covert research, effects on research participants
What are the Theoretical issues when choosing a topic/method?
Methodological perspective- positivist or interpretist, representativeness, reliability and validity
What are some of the aspects of choosing a topic?
Funding bodies, practical factors, societys values
What is the reliability of experiments?
They are easy to replicate so increase reliability
What are the practical problems of experiments?
Can only study a small sample which might not represent the whole population
