Research methods Flashcards
1
Q
Define:
Positivism
A
- Scientific approach
- Reliable, generalisable, representative
- Quantitative
- Functionalism + Marxists
2
Q
Define:
Interpretivism
A
- Understand context
- Validity
- Qualitative
- Feminism, Postmodernism, Interactionism
3
Q
Reflexivity
A
- Interpretivist
- Keep research journal to reflect on process
- Document mistakes, social background, social context
4
Q
Verstehen
A
- Interpretivism
- Place self physically into the position/situation of the participants
- Participant observation
5
Q
Strengths of Interpretivism
A
- Provides context
- Building relationships - High in validity
6
Q
Weaknesses of Interpretivism
A
- Less ethical due to less consent
- Data less reliable and generalisable
- Only gathers a small amount of data
- Relationship can bias results
- Takes longer
7
Q
Strengths of Positivism
A
- More ethical - consent gained
- Data is reliable, representative, generalisable
- Detatchment from participants decreases bias
- Faster to produce
8
Q
Weaknesses of Positivism
A
- Does not provide context - people become statistics
- Data is less valid due to clearer consent
- Detatchment from participants can decrease validity
9
Q
Stages of the research process
A
- Sociological research aim
- Interests and values of the researcher
- Current debates
- Funding
- Access to participants and gatekeeping
- Choice of research method
- Practical factors
- Ethics
- Academic literature and hypothesis
- Operationalisation
10
Q
Sociological research aim
A
- Purpose of the research
- Descriptive, Explanatory, Evaluative
11
Q
Descriptive
A
Giving a set of facts
12
Q
Explanatory
A
Giving a reasoning for facts
13
Q
Evaluative
A
Proposing a solution
14
Q
Interests and values of the researcher
A
- Researcher picks topic they are interested in
- Can create researcher bias
15
Q
Current debates
A
Research will be impacted by things happening in the real world
16
Q
Funding
A
- Get money from a funding agency
- E.g. Government, University, Charities
- Can create bias as they expect a certain result
17
Q
Get access to a community through a gatekeeper
A
Access to participants and gatekeeping
18
Q
Gatekeeper
A
Someone who has direct access to a population
19
Q
Research methods
A
- Primary data
- Secondary data
- Qualitative data
- Quantitative data
20
Q
Practical factors
A
- Cost - available funding
- Time - Longer research costs more
- Subject matter - Participants must feel comfortable with sensitive topics
- Researchers social background - Age, Gender, Ethnicity, Class
21
Q
Ethics
A
- Rights of participants
- Responsibility of researcher
22
Q
Academic literature and hypothesis
A
- Research studies that have already been conducted
– Avoid repeating research
– Provide researcher with further ideas
– Generate a hypothesis
23
Q
Operationalisation
A
- Break down the hypothesis
- Turn subjective words into concrete measurable things
24
Q
Hypothesis
A
Prediction of what will happen
25
Ethical considerations
* Informed consent
* No deception
* Privacy
* Protect participants from harm
* No illegal or immoral activity
* Avoid risk to researcher
26
Informed consent
* Participants are aware they are part of research
* Informed on purpose of research
* Some participants cannot give consent - ask parent/carer
27
No deception
* Do not keep information from participants
* Do not lie about purpose of research
* Do not befriend participants to increase validity - some argue validity outweighs ethics
28
Privacy
* Participants should be safeguarded
* Keep participants anonymous
* Participants will be more honest if they are anonymous
29
Protect participants from harm
* Participants protected from physical, mental, or emotional harm
* Some topics may be upsetting
30
No illegal or immoral activity
* Researchers must make sure their behaviour is always legal + moral
* Avoid situations where they may observe crime
* Crime must be reported to relevant authorities
31
Avoid risk to the researcher
* Researchers do not put themselves at risk of physical, emotional, or mental harm
32
Sampling techniques
* Opportunity
* Purposive
* Snowball
* Stratified random
* Systemic random
* Volunteer
33
Opportunity sampling
* Select participants based on ability
(+)
* practical
(-)
* Less representative
* Less valid
34
Purposive sampling
* Select candidates based on characteristics
**(+)**
* More relevant findings
**(-)**
* Less generalisable
35
Snowball sampling
* Participants recruited by other participants
**(+)**
* wider group
**(-)**
* Less variation in group
* Less representative - biased to outgoing participants
36
Quota sampling
* Divide population into strata, select randomly from each group
**(+)**
* More cheap
**(-)**
* Less representative
37
Systemic random sampling
* Participants selected from random group at periodic intervals
**(+)**
* Simple
**(-)**
* selection interval can line up with trends in original sample
38
Self selected/volunteer sampling
* Participants sign up to participate
**(+)**
* Reach many participants easily
**(-)**
* Self sampling bias - certain type of person is more likely to sign up
39
# Name:
Sampling methods
* Opportunity
* Purposive
* Snowball
* Stratified/quota
* Systematic
* Volunteer
40
Opportunity sampling
Select participants based on availability
41
Purposive sampling
Select candidates based on charactereristics
42
Snowball
Participants are recruited by other participants
43
Stratified/quota sampling
Population divided into strata and randomly selected from each group
44
Systemic random sampling
participants selected from random groups at periodic intervals
45
Volunteer sampling
Participants sign themselves up
46
# Name:
Research methods
* Longitudinal surveys
* Questionnaires
*
47
Longitudinal surveys
Study the same group over a period of time
48
Questionnaires
List of questions given to participants for self completion
49
Structured interviews
* Preset questions with no deviation
* Closed questions
50
Semi-structured interviews
* Contains both open and closed questions
* Some preset questions
51
Unstructured interviews
* No set questions
* Open ended questions
52
Focus groups
* Unstructured interview
* Participants interact
