Research Methods Flashcards
What does the acronym PERVERT stand for?
Practicality
Ethics
Reliability
Validity
Examples
Representativeness
Theory
What are the two options available for a study’s Theory?
Positivist and interactionism
What is Potivism?
Objective and Scientific methods of study
Whats some examples of Positivist methods?
Lab experiments, comparative methods field experiments
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
What are some weaknesses of using a Positivist theory?
Low validity (artificial environment)
Lacks depth
Unable to deal with subjective areas
Lack of empathy
What is interpretivism?
Subjective and free-flowing methods of research
What are some examples of interpretivism?
Observations, unstructured interviews, open questions in questionnaires
What is the definition of Vestehen?
Gaining meaningful understanding of a subject
What are the strengths of interpretivism?
Verstehen can be achieved
High Validity
Allows for human behaviour
Natural setting and context
What are the weaknesses of interpretivism?
Possibility of researcher bias
Lack of reliability
Difficult to generalise
Expensive and time-consuming
What are some strength of Random sampling?
Less chance of bias
Simplistic
What are some weaknesses of Random sampling?
Time-consuming
Potential bias
Can only be used if we access to the sample frame
What are some types of random sampling?
Simple random sampling
Stratified sampling
Systematic sampling
Cluster sample
What are some types of non random sampling?
Snowball sampling
Opportunity sampling
Volunteer sampling
Quota sampling
Purposive
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 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? (Stregnth)
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? (Weakness)
Literary digest (1936) - sent to 10m people, who’s sample frame of subscribers, but had a very bias sample as they were 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
