Research Methods Flashcards
Practical advantage of questionnaires
.do not need to train interviewers
.Quick and easy to quantify data
.maintains detachment and objectivity
.easy to process by computers
.identify patterns and trends quicker
Practical disadvantage of questionnaires
.limited and superficial data
.lacks flexibility
Ethical advantage of questionnaires
.ethically sound when anonymous
.no obligation to answer
.informed consent is gained
Ethical disadvantage of questionnaires
.difficult to explore sensitive issues
Theoretical advantage of questionnaires
.high in reliability
.highly structured
.quantitative data
.can easily be repeated
Theoretical disadvantage of questionnaires
.detached nature
.lack of contact
.no clarification for misunderstandings
.cannot gain verstehen
Practical advantage of laboratory’s
.quick especially for small scale research
.cheap as only lab is needed
Practical disadvantage for laboratories
.society is a complex phenomenon
.can’t control all variables
.cannot be used to study the past
Ethical advantage of laboratories
.consent is given by attendance
.debriefs after the study
.milgrams study
.alert to dangers of following authority
Ethical disadvantage of laboratories
.lack of informed consent
.do not know the true aim of study
.may harm or distress
Theoretical advantage of laboratories
.positivists favour
.high in reliability
.can be repeated
.objective so no researcher bias
Theoretical disadvantage of laboratories
.interpretevists dislike
.quantities data lacks vertehen/depth
.Hawthorne affect
.lacks ecological validity
Practical advantage of field experiments
.natural, real-life environment
.more likely to gain valid data
.easier to gain access
Practical disadvantage of field experiments
.complex problems cannot be studied
.less control
.cannot be sure if causes are corrected
Ethical advantage of field experiments
.debrief after study to reduce harm
.alert to dangers (milgram)
.learn things of lasting value
Ethical disadvantage of using field experiments
.informed consent not always gained
.deception- participants are lied to
.spurters study
Theoretical advantage of field experiment
.positivists favour
.natural, valid, and realistic environment
.High in reliability
.easy to repeat
Theoretical disadvantage of field experiments
.interpretevists dislike
.lacks verstehen and depth
.hard to control
.difficult to identify causes
practical advantage of structured interviews
.quick and cheap to administer
.can cover large numbers
.eg- British crime survey
.easily quantified as closed ended questions
practical disadvantage of structured interviews
.time-consuming
.more costly as paying interviewers
.interviews are slow
ethical advantage of using structured interviews
.no obligation to answer sensitive questions
.can guarantee anonymity
.informed consent is gained
ethical disadvantage of using structured interviews
.cant explore sensitive or personal topics
.cannot establish rapport or trust
theoretical advantage of using structured interviews
.Positivists favour as quantitative data
.high response rate
.high in reliability
.limited interviewer bias
theoretical disadvantage of using structured interviews
.Interpretivists dislike as they’re closed-ended
.lack verstehen as cannot elaborate
.data obtained may not be valid
practical advantage of unstructured interviews
.informal nature allows a rapport
.can check each others understanding
.highly flexible questions
practical disadvantage of unstructured interviews
.time-consuming
.interviewers need training
.interviewers need good interpersonal skills
ethical advantage of unstructured interviews
.can gain trust of interviewee
.don’t have to reveal what they don’t want to
.informed consent is gained
ethical disadvantage of unstructured interviews
.uncomfortable when face-to-face
.psychological harm may occur
.have to recall negative experiences
theoretical advantage of unstructured interviews
.interpretivists favour as greater freedom
.can gain verstehen and a rapport
.flexibility increases validity
theoretical disadvantage of unstructured interviews
.positivists dislike as they’re unstructured
.low reliability as hard to repeat
.Hawthorne Effect
practical advantage of group interviews
.less time-consuming
.can generate initial ideas
practical disadvantage of group interviews
.long time to analyse data
.large groups are difficult to control
.loud characters
.hard to keep group focused
ethical advantage of group interviews
.informed consent is gained
.can observe group dynamics and norms
.creates a safe peer environment
ethical disadvantage of group interviews
.can be uncomfortable for interviewees
.feel they can’t withdraw from interview
.peer pressure in group
Theoretical advantage of group interviews
.interpretivists favour- qualitative data
.can build verstehen and rapport
.flexibility to explore new ideas
Theoretical disadvantage of group interviews
.Positivists dislike
.Hawthorne effect
.may not be representative
practical advantage of participant observations
.interviewer gains first-hand knowledge
.can build a rapport
.can ask naive but important questions
practical disadvantage of participant observations
.difficult to get in, stay in, get out (covert)
.threats to personal safety
.groups may refuse researcher to observe
ethical advantage of participant observations
.overt means no deception or illegal activity
.debrief after study
.anonymity can be ensured
ethical disadvantage of participant observations
.deception
.lack of informed consent
.may lead to immoral behaviour
theoretical advantage of participant observations
.interpretivists favour- more valid
.less likely to have Hawthorne effect
.qualitative data is detailed
.see the world through eyes of the group
theoretical disadvantage of participant observations
.positivists dislike
.lack structure and reliability
.Hawthorne effect
practical advantage of non-participant observation
.if structured it can be conducted quicker
.people wont be effected by researcher
.natural setting so can gain access
practical disadvantage of non-participant observation
.difficult to gain access (criminal gangs)
.time consuming
.takes time to see their true behaviour
ethical advantage of non-participant observation
.gains informed consent
.safer for the researcher
.don’t have to worry about cover being blown
ethical disadvantage of non-participant observation
.may not have informed consent
.unwilling to co-operate
theoretical advantage of non-participant observation
.Positivists favour
.structured and reliable
.no going native
theoretical disadvantage of non-participant observation
.interpretivists dislike as no involvement
.no verstehen
.hawthorne effect
practical advantage of official statistics
..easily accessible
.allow comparisons between groups
.collected regularly- show trends over time
practical disadvantage of official statistics
.definitions used by governments are different
.government can manipulate statistics
.police statistics underestimate
ethical advantage of official statistics
.no harm to participants
.detached nature
ethical disadvantage of official statistics
.inappropriate to study suicide or dv
.dehumanising
theoretical disadvantage of official statistics
.interpretivists dislike
.no verstehen
.issues of validity
theoretical advantage of official statistics
.positivists favour
.high in reliability
.large numbers so representative
practical advantage of documents
.historical documents are useful for the past
.cheap as already gathered
.saves time
practical disadvantage of documents
.may lack authenticity
.some cant be accessed (Anne frank)
.some docs can be held back for 30 years
ethical advantage of documents
.produced by someone else
.few ethical concerns
.do not need informed consent
ethical disadvantage of documents
.dead people cannot give consent
.impacts family and friends
.personal docs need informed consent
theoretical advantage of documents
.interpretivists favour
.vertehen
. high in validity
theoretical disadvantage of documents
.positivists dislike as unrepresentative
.unstandardised and not reliable
.hoax documents
practical advantage of content analysis
.easy access eg newspapers
.cheap as already exist
.enables discovery of new things
practical disadvantage of content analysis
.time consuming if qualitative
ethical advantage of content analysis
.serves public interest
.no participants so no harm
theoretical advantage of content analysis
.interpretivists favour as depth as data
.high in reliability
.quantitative data
theoretical disadvantage of content analysis
.positivists dislike
.based on subjective interpretation- no validity
