Research Methods

Question 1

Surveys

Answer 1

Surveys provides a ‘snapshot’ in time. Usually surveys take the form of a questionnaire or structured interviews. They are a research strategy.

Question 2

Advantages of surveys

Answer 2

1. Generate large amounts of quantitative data that can be used to identify patterns and trends. They use a standardised set of questions and are mainly concerned with gathering factual information.
2. Likely to provide a representative picture of society or a particular aspect of social behaviour. It isn’t about the number of people involved but rather the fact that surveys usually inculcate all the possible variables. They are claimed to be an accurate and reliable basis.
3. It is not correct to say that surveys are cheap. Large scale surveys are often expensive to commission and frequent require the resources only available to governments

Question 3

Disadvantages of surveys

Answer 3

1. Large a,punts of data can be difficult and time consuming to interpret. The danger with any large scale survey is that patterns and trends may not emerge clearly. The careful analysis of data important and the larger the survey, the greater the demands placed on the researched. Low response rates can undermine the representativeness of survey findings
2. Surveys are only a useful strategy if the researcher does not require the depth of detail that qualitative methods can reveal.

Question 4

Interviews

Answer 4

• structured interviews - keeping a tight control over the questions, with the interviewer delivering what is a face to face questionnaire. Because the questions are so tightly controlled, it is possible to analyse the outcomes the same way as a questionnaire. Responses can be easily categorised.
• unstructured interviews- interviewed sets a general theme for a thoughtful response. Usually collects qualitative, rich and detailed responses

Question 5

Advantages so interviews

Answer 5

• qualitative data can be gathered in depth from unstructured interviews, providing insight into various types of social behaviour
• flexible
• produce data that is high in validity

Question 6

Disadvantages of interviews

Answer 6

• structured interviews do not allow for the collection of in depth qualitative data
• unstructured interviews are time consuming and complicated to analyse
• unstructured interviews can produce data that is low in reliability
• interviewed bias

Question 7

Ethnography

Answer 7

The study of the culture and structure of a group of people in a society. It involves the production of highly detailed accounts of how people in a social setting lead their lives which is based upon systematic and long term observation

Question 8

Advantages of ethnography

Answer 8

• based on the direct observation of so-called behaviour.
• qualitative research providing detailed in depth data
• valid and well rounded picture of the social behaviour that has been observed

Question 9

Disadvantages of ethnography

Answer 9

• produces rich description but weak analysis
• fail the test of reliability as observed behaviour can be misinterpreted or the research can be contradicted by the work of other sociologists
• ethical problems with the privacy of informants who can reveal intimate details of their lives
• observer effect
• expensive and time consuming