Research methods

Question 1

Survey

Answer 1

A researcher asks a representative sample of people, a set of standard questions to find out the opinions, characteristics and behaviours of a large group of people

Question 2

Types of surveys

Answer 2

• Questionnaire – sets of questions are given on paper or electronically to a large number of people

• Interview – researcher asks the limited number of people questions in a face-to-face encounter or over the phone

• Random sample – every nth (i.e 5th, 13th, 40th) person is asked to participate in the survey

• Matched sample – participants are chosen based on one or more shared characteristics (i.e. Age, gender, socioeconomic status, etc..)

Question 3

Observation

Answer 3

A researcher watches and records behaviour as it occurs naturally without attempting to change or influence it in any way

Question 4

Types of observation

Answer 4

• unstructured – studying people without a predetermined idea of what to look for -> lead to research question

• structured – planning in advance and having a list of things to look for -> provides an answer to a research question

• participant observation – studying a group (in one society, in another culture, for long periods of time) of people while taking part in groups activities

Question 5

Case study

Answer 5

A researcher conducts, a detailed investigation of an individual a situation an event, a group or a culture over a long period of time

Question 6

Experiment

Answer 6

A researcher changes, at least one factor and observes the effect on this change on the other factor(s) in order to understand the relationship between factors

Question 7

Types of experiments

Answer 7

• independent variable – the factor that is changed in the experiment
• dependent variable – the factor that is affected by the change
• control group – the group that is not exposed to the independent variable
• experimental group group – the group that is exposed to the independent variable
• confederate – an individual who seems to be a participant in the experiment, but in reality is a part of the research team
• laboratory experiment – conducted in a controlled setting where the subjects are aware of their participation in the experiment
• field experiment – conducted in an uncontrolled setting where the subjects are unaware of their participation in the experiment