Research Methods Flashcards by Alfie Rendell

What does the acronym PERVERT stand for?

Practicality
Ethics
Reliability
Validity
Examples
Representativeness
Theory

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What are the two options available for a study’s Theory?

Positivist and interactionism

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What is Potivism?

Objective and Scientific methods of study

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Whats some examples of Positivist methods?

Lab experiments, comparative methods field experiments

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What are some strengths of using a Positivist theory?

Focus on objective facts
High Reliability
Easier to generalise
Easier to interpret the results
Easier to implement than Interpretivism

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What are some weaknesses of using a Positivist theory?

Low validity (artificial environment)
Lacks depth
Unable to deal with subjective areas
Lack of empathy

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What is interpretivism?

Subjective and free-flowing methods of research

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What are some examples of interpretivism?

Observations, unstructured interviews, open questions in questionnaires

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What is the definition of Vestehen?

Gaining meaningful understanding of a subject

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What are the strengths of interpretivism?

Verstehen can be achieved
High Validity
Allows for human behaviour
Natural setting and context

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What are the weaknesses of interpretivism?

Possibility of researcher bias
Lack of reliability
Difficult to generalise
Expensive and time-consuming

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What are some strength of Random sampling?

Less chance of bias
Simplistic

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What are some weaknesses of Random sampling?

Time-consuming
Potential bias
Can only be used if we access to the sample frame

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What are some types of random sampling?

Simple random sampling
Stratified sampling
Systematic sampling
Cluster sample

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What are some types of non random sampling?

Snowball sampling
Opportunity sampling
Volunteer sampling
Quota sampling
Purposive

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What are some strengths of Non random sampling?

Quick
Easy to set up

What are some weaknesses of using non random sampling?

Time-consuming
Unrepresentative
Tendency towards bias

What are some strengths of Snowball sampling?

Cheap
Quick
Respects privacy
Useful for gathering hard-to-reach ppts

What are some weaknesses of Snowball sampling?

Very unrepresentative
No control of sampling
Could be very time-consuming

What are some strengths of self-selected sampling?

Cheap
Quick
Avoids researcher bias

What are some weaknesses of self-selected sampling?

Unrepresentative
Ppts have specific characteristics
Social desirability bias
No control of sampling

What is purposive sampling?

When a researcher selects ppts for a reason

What are some strengths of purposive sampling?

Desired characteristics gathered
High validity

What are some weaknesses of Purposive sampling?

Bias
Unrepresentative sample

What are some strengths of opportunity sampling?

Cheap Quick Effective

What are some weaknesses of opportunity sampling?

Bias sample Unrepresentative Little control of sample

What are some strengths of Quota sampling?

Representative Efficient

What are some weaknesses of Quota sampling?

Biased Time consuming Can't be used without sample frame

What is an example of Random sampling in the real world? (Example for a strength)

The crime survey - whose sample frame is citizens in the local police area, including interviews and self-completion (on a lap top) to maintain validity

What is an example of random sampling in the real world? (Example for a weakness)

Literary digest (1936) - sent to 10m people, who's sample frame of subscribers, but had a very bias sample as they were all readers

Whats an example of a successful non-random sampling?

Taylor's 'In The Underground' found 1 criminal and used snowball sampling to reach a wide range of ppts

Whats an example of a lab study?

Bandura's 'Bobo' doll experiment as it tested the effects of observing But - the Hawthorne effect as they may have been motivated to please the researcher

List the steps for writing the 30 mark C2 question (All of them)

Introduction Qualitative or quantitative Operationalisation Sample Method Ethical concerns Pilot Study Gathering data (including practical issues) Data processing Evaluation

What is the definition of a focus group?

A group interview where the discussion is controlled by a moderator, which is usaly recored or transcribed for analysis after

What is the definition of an ethnographic study?

A research method which involves the researcher observing and interacting with a specific community or group, inorder to gain vershten and see them in their natural environment

Whats triangliation?

The combination of at least 2 methods to gather both qualitative and quantitative data

Whats a 'gatekeeper'?

Someone gives you access to a sample (E.g teacher letting you gather ppts from her class)