Research Methods Flashcards
What do positivist focus on ?
- QuaNtitative data
- patterns and trends
- objectivity/value freedom
- social facts
What is Quanitative data ?
Data expressed in a numerical form e.g graphs, table , bar graphs
What can you do with patterns and trends?
Can be compared to observe any correlation and links
What is objectivity ?
Free from bias , neutral and free from personal opinions so value free
What do Interpretivist focus on ?
- meaning + expreiences
- subjectivity
- reflexivity
- versthen
- rapport
- QuaLitative data
- researcher imposition
- reflexivity
What is meaning and experiences ?
Uncover important aspect of people lives
What is rapport ?
Trusting and open relationships participant and sociologist so can open up
Why is rapport good ?
More valid, details so can get real and true insight
What is versthen ?
- understanding
- empathetic and put yourself in their shoes
What is qualitative data ?
Form of words rather than numbers
What is subjectivity ?
Based on personal opinions, experience and biases values persons opinions
What is reflexivity ?
Researcher constantly reflecting on extent to which they themselves are impacting on their research and their findings , in other words the presence of the researcher has the potential to influence the shape of the research itself
What is research imposition ?
Research we may influence or shape research without being aware
Examples of how researcher can influence and shape study without being aware in research imposition ?
Through topics or the method
What are the key concepts ?
- reliability
- validity
- generalisability
- representativeness
- and standardised procedure partly
What is reliability ?
If study is repeated by different or same sociologist it will produce the same results
What is validity?
True picture of those behind studied
What is representativeness ?
Groups or individuals behind studied are fair reflection of the target population
The bigger the sample size ?
The better
What is generalisability?
If it’s possible to apply finding from research sample to the wider population
What does generalisability focus on ?
Focuses on the findings and conclusions
What are the examples of QuaNtitative method ?
- longtitudal surveys
- questionnaires
- structured interviews
- secondary data
- official and non official statics
What forms can questionnaires come in ?
Closed and open questions
What are closed questionnaires ?
Ticking a box and restricted on answers
How are open questionnaires like ?
Can see experiences , no limits and can express their feelings
What are the disadvantages of questionnaires ?
- misunderstanding are more common
- research imposition
What is the disadvantage of questionnaires, misunderstanding are more common ?
Interpretivist argue that due to the fact that sociologist is often not present when questionnaires are filled so many misunderstanding can be misinterpreted and affect the validity
What can the disadvantage misunderstand are more common of questionnaires affect ?
The validity
What is the disadvantage research imposition of questionnaires ?
Researcher may be put off by pre-coded questions and answers so may measure what the sociologist thinks is important rather than person completing it
What is longitudinal study/survey ?
Some surveys and questionnaires are longitudal and study a group over a long period of time
What is structured interviews ?
Researcher reading out a list of closed questions from an interview schedule and ticking boxes
What can the researcher not do with structured interviews ?
Cannot deviate from set questions
What is a disadvantage of structured interviews ?
- Cannot open up
- social desirability : lie to be favoured
What is secondary data ?
Data that sociologists did not collect themselves
Examples of secondary data ?
Official and non official statics
What is official statics ?
Numerical data collected by the government gathered through survey
What is unofficial statics ?
Collected by non government sources e.g trade union
What are the overall advantages of QuaNititave data ?
- Reliable
- standardised procedures
- operationalisation
- representativeness/ generalisability
- patterns and trends
- free from bias so free from personal opinion so makes research more reliable
What are the overall disadvantages of QuaNitative data ?
- Easier to lie = no one present so not feel guilty to lie
- limited detail = responses are restricted in response but low validity , no versthen so no feelings, opinions and lacks truth
- lacks validity
- drop out rate
- does not focus on the deep roots and the causes or factors leading to pattern in data
Example of QuaLitiative methods ?
- unstructured interviews
- semi - structured interviews
- focus group interview
- observation
- ethnography
What is unstructured interviews ?
Flexible open interview
Why is unstructured interview good ?
It is ethnographic as carried out in natural settings of respondents to feel more comfortable
What are semi - structured interviews ?
Closed questions to generate facts and open questions
What are focus group interview ?
Unstructured interviews carried out in groups and encouraged to talk to one another
What are the types of observations?
- Participant and non participant observations
- covert and overt
What is non participant observation ?
Sociologists watches the behaviour of others and interprets it
What is participant observation ?
Immersing themselves in the group to get in their heads so can understand
Why is participant observations important ?
Ethnographic and rapport
What is overt observation ?
Researcher joins in the study and group knows that researcher is researching and actively observing them
What is covert observation ?
Researcher inserts themselves in a group and conceals the fact that they’re are doing a research
What is a disadvantage of overt observation ?
Hawthorne effect : since know they’re being watched will not act naturally so lack validity
What is ethnography ?
Involves the researcher inserting themselves into natural setting of the social group and observing their daily activities
What is a disadvantage of ethnography ?
Going native
What is going native ?
Observes can get too attached or too close to group
Why is going native a disadvantage ?
Makes observation bias and researcher loses detachment , objectivity and identifies with the group
Overall advantage of quaLitative data ?
- validity
- rapport
- Versthen
- participant control over content = respondent can express their own viewpoint
- meaning, value
- reflexivity
Overall disadvantage of QuaLitative data ?
- lacks reliability
- unstandardised procedure/vague operationalisation
- researcher bias : presents themselves in a favorable light
- lack of control
- representativeness/generalizability
- social characteristics of the researcher
What is unstandardised procedures ?
Researcher changes questions and alters what they are looking for in observation based on situation so hard to repeat research so lack reliability
What is lack of control?
Researcher has little control over direction of the interview and respondents may wonder so lacks reliability due to freedom and difficulty in comparing
What is vague operationalisation ?
Dufficult for another researcher to replicate the same study for same results so not reliable
What is social characteristics of the researcher ?
Research is likely to impact the research depending on ethnicity, gender , social class which can influence relationship
What is triangulation?
Multiple use of mix methods to cross check and verify the reliability of a particular research and validity of data collected
- more than one method
Why are triangulation used ?
- to cross check data from large survey to check consistency
- re - examine the data which can bring them closer to the answer
What is method pluralism/mixed method ?
Researcher will be flexible and select the method more suitable for collecting data required as long as it fits does not matter if it is qualitative or quantitative method
What is the overall advantage of mixed methods
- validity
- words complementing numbers and numbers complementing words
- triangulation
- representative/generalizability
Words complementing numbers and numbers complementing words , how is this an advantage of mixed method ?
- quaLItative method adds meaning to numbers and adds feelings and gives life to patterns and trends
- adds ‘why’ to ‘how’ questions
- adding numbers to quaLititive methods allows for comparisons
What methods is used when words complementing numbers and numbers complementing words ?
Qualitative methods and Quantitative methods
Why is triangulation an advantage of mixed methods?
Multiple methods for cross Check so makes it more valid and reliable
What Example is used for advantage of triangulation in mixed methods ?
If participants are less likely to be truthful in questionnaires by carrying out an interview too will make it more difficult to lie face to face
What method is used in triangulation ?
Both Qualitative and Quantitative menthod
Disadvantage of mixed methods
- lacks validity
- too complex
- contradictory findings
- lack reliability/ complicated standardised procedures
- unrepresentative
What is contradictory findings according to disadvantage of mixed methods ?
Mixed methods means different methods produce very different finding and conclusions
Why is mixed method disadvantage complicated standardized procedure ?
Two or more methods so difficult for researcher to repeat and have similar results
Why is the disadvantage of mixed Methods potentially unrepresentative?
Mix of Two qualitative method so unable to collect info from many people so not representative
