research methods

Question 1

what are lab experiments?

Answer 1

a hypothesis is tested in a controlled artifical condition

Question 2

what are controlled groups?

Answer 2

characteristics of a group stays the same

Question 3

what are experimental groups?

Answer 3

characteristics of the group are changed

Question 4

what are the advantage of lab experiments?

Answer 4

1. casual relationship - establish cause and effect relationship and see why people act in certain ways
2. replication - other researchers should be able to repeat and obtain the same results from the experiment

Question 5

what are the 4 disadvantage to lab experiments?

Answer 5

1. the hawthorne effect - people change their behaviour because they know they are being experimented on
2. not representative - small scale
3. experimenter bias - people may tend to act in terms of how they thing others expect
4. ethical problems - consent has to be gained in particular with vulnerable groups

Question 6

what are the **disadvantage **to lab experiments in contexts to education?

Answer 6

1. ethical problems - psychological harm and lack on informed consent
2. narrow focus - examining only one specific aspect of teacher expectation
3. pracical issue - many variables may affect teachers expectation

Question 7

what are field experiments?

Answer 7

conducted in normal social situations

Question 8

what are the advantage of field experiments?

Answer 8

1. reduce hawthorne effect
2. valid
3. easy to repeat

Question 9

what are the disadvantages of field experiments?

Answer 9

1. ethical issues - psychological harm
2. practical issue - difficult to access
3. **not reliable **- variables not controlled
4. not representative - one school

Question 10

what are postal questions?

Answer 10

postal questions are questionnaires sent to the house of the respondent

Question 11

what is face to face interviews?

Answer 11

face to face interviews is whent he researcher ask a standardised set of questions from a questionnaire for the respondent to respond to

Question 12

why does positivist favour questionnaires?

Answer 12

1. representative and reliable
2. anonymous
3. time and cost effective
4. test a hypothesis

Question 13

why does interpretivists reject questionnaire?

Answer 13

1. not valid + misunderstand meaning
2. no verstehen
3. not subjective
4. low response rate

Question 14

what is sampling?

Answer 14

sample selected from a sample frame

Question 15

what is a hypothesis?

Answer 15

prediction about a topic - Through research, the hypothesis is tested and either proven or refuted.

Question 16

what are focus groups?

Answer 16

small semi structured observation - conversations that can be observed

Question 17

what are the advantage of focus groups?

Answer 17

1. in depth data
2. valid
3. written

Question 18

what are the disadvantage of focus groups?

Answer 18

1. too small
2. hawthorne effect
3. not representative

Question 19

what is a pilot study?

Answer 19

a trial run before the real research is carried out

Question 20

what are the advantage of pilot study?

Answer 20

1. can check for errors
2. save time and cost

Question 21

what is random sampling?

Answer 21

random sampling is when every member of the sampling frame has an equal chance of being selected

• representative

Question 22

what is systematic sampling?

Answer 22

systematic sampling selects people from the sample by choosing every 5th or 10th or whatever sampling unit

• representative

Question 23

what is quota sampling?

Answer 23

quota sampling is the quota of people with different characteristics

• representative

Question 24

what is snowball sampling?

Answer 24

snowball samping is when the researcher find someone who fits the bill, then they are asked to find another

- not representative

Question 25

what is **oppotunity sampling?**

Answer 25

**oppotunity sampling** is when the researcher **quickly selects** there sample by **captive audience** (on the spot) - **not representative**

Question 26

what are **structured interviews?**

Answer 26

**structured interviews** is when the **interviewer** ask a **standardised set of questions** to the interviewee

Question 27

what are the **advantage** of **structured interviews**?

Answer 27

- **standardised** - **reliable**

Question 28

what are the **disadvantage** of **structured interviews**?

Answer 28

- **lack of depth** - **time consuming** - **cant check understanding**

Question 29

what is **unstructured interview**?

Answer 29

**unstructured interviews** is when the **interviewer ask questions** with **follow up questions** to the interviewee

Question 30

what is the **advantage** of **unstructured interviews**?

Answer 30

- **sensitive groups** - **build a rapport** - **valid and in depth** - **discover meaning, attitude, opinions etc**

Question 31

what are the **disadvantage** of **unstructured interviews?**

Answer 31

- **interview bias** - **cant compare** - **may not be sociological**

Question 32

what is a **group interview**?

Answer 32

**group interviews** is when the **interviewer ask** **questions** with **follow up questions** **to the group** of interviewee

Question 33

what are the **advantage** of **group interviews?**

Answer 33

- **build a rapport** - **increase validity**

Question 34

what are the **disadvantage** of **group interviews**?

Answer 34

- **off the topic** - **characteristics** - **sensitive issue** - not comfortable to talk about in a group

Question 35

what are the **practical issues** of **interviewing pupils**?

Answer 35

- **psychological harm** - **limit in vocab** - **interview act as a teacher in disguise**

Question 36

how to **improve** the **validity** of **interviews** with **pupil**?

Answer 36

- **use open ended questions** - **dont interrupt pupils answer** - **avoid repeating questions** - child might think their first answer was wrong

Question 37

what is **observation**?

Answer 37

**observation** is a method in which **researchers study the ongoing behaviour** of their **participants**

Question 38

what is **non participant observation**?

Answer 38

**non participant observation** is when the **researcher studies their subjects** from the **sidelines** - they **don't participate** into the lives of the group they are studying.

Question 39

what is **participant observation**?

Answer 39

**participant observation** is **researcher integrates themselves** into a **group** to **study their way of life** etc

Question 40

what is **covert observation**?

Answer 40

**research participants don't know who the researcher is.**

Question 41

what is **overt observation**?

Answer 41

the **research participants are all aware** of the **researcher's presence** and **their role as an observer.**

Question 42

why does **interpretivists favour participant observation**?

Answer 42

- **valid** - **verstehen** - **subjective (based on feelings not facts)**

Question 43

why does **positivists reject participants observation**?

Answer 43

- **not objective** - **time and cost** - **not reliable**

Question 44

**advantage** of **overt**?

Answer 44

- **ethical** - **can take notes**

Question 45

**advantage** of **covert**?

Answer 45

- **reduce hawthorne effect** - **valid data**

Question 46

**disadvantage** of **overt**?

Answer 46

- **hawthorne effect** - **time consuming**

Question 47

**disadvantage** of **covert**?

Answer 47

- **ethical - deception** - **blow cover - danger**

Question 48

what are the **advantages** of using **observation** in context to education?

Answer 48

- **valid** - **verstehen** - **indepth data**

Question 49

what are the **disadvantages** of using **observation** in context to education?

Answer 49

- **ethnical issues - not appropiate to research young people** - **disguises in covert - deception** - **lack of reliability** - **hawthorne effect**