Research Methods Flashcards
what is primary data?
Data or information that is collected by sociologists. This data is used for their own research and it is used to get more reliable information.
What is secondary data?
Secondary data is when a sociologist gets their information for research that they are doing from studies that have already been done/created. E.g. diaries, statistics.
Strengths of primary data
Information gathered precisely for the needs of a study
Negatives of primary data
- Time consuming
- Expensive
Positives of secondary data
- Quick
- Cheap
Negatives of secondary data
Data found could be outdated or biased/wrong
What is quantitative data?
Information that is just numbers e.g. statistics or rankings.
What is qualitative data?
Information that is very in depth and word based e.g. interviews, diaries.
Is qualitative data valid or reliable?
Valid:
The participant can be very open and in depth with their answers which make it more truthful.
Is quantitative data valid or reliable?
Reliable:
Very short answers are given so makes it easier to repeat due to time efficiency.
What are practical factors?
Practical factors are factors that make it harder for the researcher to carry out their research.
Examples of practical factors
- Time and money
- Requirements of funding bodies
- Personal skills and characteristics
- Subject matter
- Research oppurtunity
What are ethical factors?
Ethical factors are factors or moral issues that can be right and wrong. The researcher must make their research ethical so that they continue with it.
Examples of ethical factors
- Informed consent
- Confidentiality and privacy
- Harm to participants
- Vulnerable groups
- Covert and overt research
What are theoretical factors?
Theoretical factors are what the researchers need to consider at the end of their research when they get the results. They need to ask themselves if the data from the study will lead to good and if they’re reliable.
Examples of theoretical factors
- Validity
- Reliability
- Representative
Who are positivists?
Positivists are researchers that liked quantitative data over qualitative data. This is because they like their research to be reliable and representative and they like data that can give them patterns.
Who are interpretivists?
Interpretivists are researchers that prefer qualitative data over quantitative data as they prefer validity over reliability. Also, they prefer to get more descriptive and in depth information/data.
