Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

AS Sociology > Research Methods > Flashcards

Research Methods Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
Sociology 101 flashcards
1
Q

Qualitative data:

A

Data that is in the written form which can show meanings and reasons

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Quantitative data:

A

Data in a numerical form that can show patterns in society

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Primary data:

A

Information collected by the researcher for their own purpose

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Secondary data:

A

Information that has already been collected or created by someone else for their own purpose

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Positivist:

A

They study society scientifically and objectively, looking for patterns to prove social facts

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Interpretivist:

A

They study society through individual meanings and reasons to help interperate human behaviour

Use valid methods to give qualitative data

Important to uncover meanings of actions and behaviour

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Social facts:

A

Positivists like to collect data and then establish facts about the topic of study

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Verstehen:

A

Interpretivists like to show understanding and empathy towards the subject matter

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Define Practical issues:

A

The basic practicality of doing the research

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Define ethical issues:

A

The moral conduct of the research, this protects the integrity of the researcher and the safeguard of the participants

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Define theoretical issues:

A

The value of the research towards society

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Define hypothesis:

A

A possible explanation that can be tested by collecting evidence to prove it true or false

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Define the research aim:

A

The researcher identify’s what they intend to study and hope to achieve by doing the research

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Operationalising concepts:

A

The process of converting a sociological concept into something you can measure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Define pilot study:

A

The creation of a small sample of people so they can make sure they aren’t wasting money

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Define sample:

A

A smaller sub-group drawn from the wider group of people

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is a sample frame?

A

A list of people applicable for the study

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Random stratified sampling:

A

A representative sampling technique where a sample is broken down into population frames and then taken proportionally

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Random sampling:

A

A presentation sampling technique where everyone has an equal chance of being selected

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Systematic sampling:

A

A representative sampling technique where every nth person in a sample frame is selected

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Snowball sampling:

A

Non-representative sampling technique where they ask one person to recommend people that may be applicable for the study

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Questionnaires:

A

They are a method of research where you ask the participant to answer pre-set questions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Open questions:

A

The participants get asked questions with no pre-selected answers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Closed questions:

A

The participants get asked to answer questions with pre-selected answers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Interviews:

A

An interview is where the researcher has social interaction between them and the interviewee

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Structured interview:

A

This is where the interview is conducted in the same way, with the same question each time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Unstructured interview:

A

This is where the interview has no question order and the interviewer has the freedom to ask different questions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

Rapport:

A

Where the interviewer and interviewee create a relationship between each other

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Participant observation:

A

This is the method where the researcher takes part in the event or everyday activities of a group and observes their actions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Non-participant observation:

A

This method is where the researcher doesn’t take part in the activities and only observes the group

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

Overt:

A

This is where the participants know the full aim of the research and that they are part of it

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

Covert:

A

This is where the real identity and purpose of the researcher is hidden from the participants

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

Structured observation:

A

The researcher creates a pre-determined schedule that the observation keeps to

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

Unstructured observation:

A

This is where researcher lets people do things like normal and builds up their theory from that

35
Q

Laboratory experiments:

A

This type of experiment is where the participants are put into a artificial environment where the researcher can manipulate the variables

36
Q

Independent variable:

A

The thing you can change and manipulate to see how it effects your dependent variable

37
Q

Dependent variable:

A

The thing that the researcher measures to see the effect on the independent variable

38
Q

Experiment group:

A

The group of participants that will be involved in the research

39
Q

Control group:

A

Group of participants that aren’t effected by the research and are just used for comparison

40
Q

Field experiment:

A

This type of experiment is where you study someone in their natural environment, with or without their knowledge

41
Q

Comparative method:

A

This method doesn’t actually include any people and is a thought experiment carried out by the sociologists

42
Q

Official statistics:

A

This is quantitative data that has been collected by the government or other official bodies

43
Q

Document method:

A

This can included any visual, auditory, imagery or written form of communication

44
Q

Content analysis:

A

This is the analysis of documents produced by the mass media

45
Q

What does PERVERT mean?

A 
Practical
Ethical
Representativeness 
Validity 
Examples
Reliability
Theoretical
46
Q

Key facts about interpretivists:

A

Study individuals to understand meanings behind data

Use qualitative data to achieve validity

Don’t think you can observe society as a whole

47
Q

Key facts about positivists:

A

Use scientific data

Use quantitative methods

Need data to be realistic and reliable

Key for it be representative and generalisable

View society as a whole

Observe trends and patterns

48
Q

What type of data do questionnaires use?

A

Quantitative data

49
Q

Advantages of questionnaires:

A

Reliable

Normally done on a large scale so is representative

Relatively inexpensive

50
Q

Disadvantages of questionnaires:

A

Respondents can lie

Can be misinterpreted

May be challenging to answer

51
Q

What data do interviews collect?

A

Qualitative data

52
Q

What are interviews?

A

Conversation between researcher and respondent

Can be structured or unstructured

53
Q

Structured interviews are:

A

Questionnaires given face to face

Same questions to each respondent

Follow question list so can’t ask for more details

54
Q

Unstructured interviews are:

A

Informal - no rigid structure

Take a long time to write up

55
Q

Methods that interpretivists like to use:

A

Unstructured interviews

Participant observation

As they look out for individuals in society - micro scale

56
Q

What are questionnaires?

A

Mainly closed or multiple choice

Reliability and validity depend on design

57
Q

Methods positivists like to use:

A

Questionnaires

Official statistics

As look at institutions in society - macro scale

58
Q

What is quantitative data?

A

Numbers and statistics

59
Q

Advantages of quantitative data:

A

Can look for cause and effects - find trends

Allows for easy analysis

60
Q

Disadvantages of quantitative data:

A

Can hide reality

Don’t tell meaning and motive

Can be politically biased

61
Q

What is qualitative data?

A

Opinions and talking

62
Q

Advantages of qualitative data:

A

Gives insight to social interactions

Tells meaning and motives

Doesn’t force people into artificial categories

63
Q

Disadvantages of qualitative data:

A

Difficult to repeat

Often done on a small scale so are not representative

64
Q

What are observations?

A

Watching behaviour in a real life setting

Can be either covert research (group is unaware they are being observed) or overt research (participants are aware of researcher)

65
Q

What is participant observation?

A

Researcher is actively involved

66
Q

Advantages of participant observation:

A

No misinterpretation

Witness groups daily activities

67
Q

Disadvantages of participant observation:

A

Can cause horthorne effect

Can’t be repeated

Practical access issue

68
Q

What is non participant observation?

A

Researcher is not actively involved

69
Q

Advantages of non-participant observation:

A

Researchers values are not compromised

No horthorne effect

70
Q

Disadvantage of non participant observation:

A

Not aware of meanings behind actions

Can be unethical if published without participants consent

71
Q

What is primary data?

A

Collected first hand

72
Q

Advantages of primary data:

A

Up to date information

Don’t have to rely on another researcher

Relevant to researcher questions

73
Q

Disadvantages of primary data:

A

Potential for horthorne effect

Can be expensive

74
Q

What is secondary data?

A

Existing info

75
Q

Advantages of secondary data:

A

Quick to collect

No Hawthorne feet

76
Q

Disadvantages of secondary data:

A

May be outdated

may not be authentic or credible

77
Q

What type of data do experiments get?

A

Quantitative data

78
Q

What are lab experiments?

A

Controlled environment

Researcher changes independent variable and observes effect of dependent variable

79
Q

Advantages of lab experiments:

A

Can control experiment

Can replicate research

80
Q

Disadvantages of lab experiments:

A

Hard to recreate real life situations

Moral/ethical issues

Difficult to isolate single variables

81
Q

What are field experiments?

A

Take place outside the lab in real life situations

82
Q

Advantages of field experiments:

A

More life like

Show hidden meanings of everyday social interactions

83
Q

Disadvantages of field experiments:

A

Can’t control variables

Ethical issues as respondent are unaware

May change behaviour if they are aware they are being watched

AS Sociology (16 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions