Research Methods Flashcards
What is primary data
Information that is collected by sociologists themselves for their own purposes
What are some methods for gathering primary data
Social surveys
Participant observation
Experiments
What is an advantage of using primary data
You are able to gather precisely the information needed to test the hypothesis
What is a disadvantage of using primary data
It can be costly and time consuming
What is secondary data
Information ask been collected or created by someone else
What are some sources of secondary data
Official statistics
Documents
What are some strengths of using secondary data
It can be a quick and cheap way of doing research since someone else has already produced the information
What are some weaknesses of using secondary data
It is hard to get information that you are interested in
What is quantitative data
Information in a numerical form
What is qualitative data
Information in letters form
Practical factors influencing the choice of methods
Time and money
Research opportunity
Personal skills and charactics
Time and money
Different methods require different amounts of time and money and this may influence the sociologist’s choice
