Research Methods Flashcards
what is validity? give examples
research provides a true picture of social reality e.g. observation, unstructures interviews, documents that capture a period of time
what is reliability?
if someone else repeats the same research with the same population, they should achieve the same results
what is representativeness?
sample reflects characteristics of the wider target population that is being studied
what are some strengths and weaknesses of secondary data?
strengths
* accessible
* wide range of topics
* cheap/ free
* usually up to date
weaknesses
* not always specific- gathered by a different person for a different purpose
* no depth
* doesn’t explain why trends presented occur
* could be biased
advantages and disadvantages of questionnaires/ surveys
advantages
* lots of quantitative data- can be analysed
* representative
* cost-effective
disadvantages
* questionable validity
* large amounts of data- time consuming and difficult to interpret
* no depth or detail
* dishonesty
name the 6 types of sampling
- opportunity
- random
- quota
- stratified
- snowball
- systematic
describe and evaluate opportunity sampling
- researcher chooses who they first see and who is most available to them
- unrepresentative, no sampling frame, biases (participants are like the researcher)
describe and evaluate random sampling
- equal chance of selection
- unrepresentative, but unbiased
define and evaluate quota sampling
- proportionate to a characteristic or trait of the wider population
- representative, not random, biased
describe and evaluate stratified sampling
- made up of different layers of the population, people from different groups
- representative
describe and evaluate snowball sampling
- researcher used their first participant to find other participants and then those participants do the same
- non-representative, no sampling frame
describe and evaluate systematic sampling
- when there is a chosen system/ pattern to the sampling process which is then followed such as choosing every 4th person
- unrepresentative, unbiased, sample frame
what is ethnography?
an in-depth study of someone’s way of life, this will involve a variety of methods (interviews, observations) and can last a long time
what is a case study?
researching a single case of something using multiple methods
advantages and disadvantages of mixed method approaches
advantages
* in-depth
* qualitative
* variety
* flexible
disadvantages
* difficult to generalise
* low reliability- unique- can’t replicate
* time consuming
* hawthorne effect
* difficult to get access
what is a longitudinal study
when sociologists gather a group of individuals who will be studied over an extended period of time to track changes
advantages and disadvantages of overt observation
- advantages- in depth, ethical
- disadvantages- hawthorne effect
advantages and disadvantages of covert observation
- advantages- no risk of hawthorne effect, valid
- disadvantages- unethical (no informed consent)
advantages and disadvantages of participant observation
- advantages- gained understanding of life experience, valid
- disadvantages- it it’s covert, participants may develop an innapropriate relationship with the researcher
advantages and disadvantages of non-participant observation
- advantages- objectivity (researcher is detatched and neutral), reliable
- disadvantages- can oversimplify events, hawthorne effect is it is overt
advantages and disadvantages of interviews
advantages
* qualitative- in depth (unstructured interviews)
* flexible- can pursue unanticipated lines of enquiry
* valid- accurate reflection of society
disadvantages
* structured interviews aren’t in depth
* unstructured interviews are time consuming
* unreliable- unstrctured interviews are inconsistent
* interviewer bias
what is a sample frame? give examples
a list from which the sample will be taken (e.g. register, employee list)
