Research Methods: Evaluating Research Methods Designed To Improve Research

Question 1

What is triangulation?

Answer 1

• The use of more than one method, usually one or more that collects quantitative data and one or more that collects qualitative data to cross check the data being collected, to counter the bias of using a single method or to increase confidence in the findings

Question 2

What are the theoretical strengths of triangulation?

Answer 2

• Is supported by both POSITIVISTS and INTERPRETIVISTS

Question 3

What are the practical strengths of triangulation?

Answer 3

• Triangulation helps to ELIMINATE BIASES as a range of methods used to cross-check data/findings – therefore increasing validity

Question 4

What are the ethical strengths of triangulation?

Answer 4

• Participants are fully represented by different methods reducing emotional HARM so increasing validity

Question 5

What are the practical weaknesses of triangulation?

Answer 5

• Time consuming - will take a long time to carry out the variety of different methods which will potentially reduce the sample size reducing representativeness and generalisability

Question 6

What are the ethical weaknesses of triangulation?

Answer 6

• Depending on the methods used (will need to read source material carefully) it may difficult to uphold some of the ethical guidelines which could impact the validity of the results

Question 7

What is reflexivity?

Answer 7

• This is generally used by Interpretivists where they keep track of the strengths and weaknesses of the research. This is to evaluate their work with the aim of improving its validity

Question 8

What are the theoretical strengths of reflexivity?

Answer 8

• INTERPRETIVISTS would favour this method as it aims to ensure a true insight into the social reality is gained meaning that the validity is increased and verstehen about a group is gained

Question 9

What are the practical strengths of reflexivity?

Answer 9

• When the researcher is reflexive they will THINK CRITICALLY about their research methods. This ensures that groups are examined effectively and a true picture of them is given which increases the validity of the data.

Question 10

What are the ethical strengths of reflexivity?

Answer 10

• If a researcher is being reflexive they are reviewing how their role can impact on the validity of the data. For example they would look out for issues surrounding INTERVIEWER EFFECT which could mean that the respondents change their responses and give socially desirable ones.

Question 11

What is respondent validation?

Answer 11

• technique to check the results from participant’s viewpoint. Results are returned to participants to check it accurately reflects their experiences/vires

Question 12

What are the theoretical strengths of respondent validation?

Answer 12

• INTERPRETIVISTS would like this method due to it allowing the researchers to develop rapport and verstehen with the participants. This increases the validity of the research as participants are more likely to be honest and clarify any mistakes they may have made initially. This means a deeper insight into their lives can be gained.

Question 13

What are the practical strengths of respondent validation?

Answer 13

• The researcher can gain feedback from the participants who were involved in the event or situation that was researched in order to check how their behaviour was interpreted. This can avoid bias and improve the validity of the research as it ensures that a group and social situation is presented ACCURATELY

Question 14

What are the ethical strengths of respondent validation?

Answer 14

• reduces emotional HARM as the participants are able to check that they have been portrayed fairly and accurately. This increases the validity as it ensures an accurate and fair reflection of the group being researched.

Question 15

What are the theoretical weaknesses of respondent validation?

Answer 15

• POSITIVISTS will dislike this method as it is not objective or scientific. It can decrease reliability as it is not something another researcher could replicate easily as

Question 16

What are the practical weaknesses of respondent validation?

Answer 16

• It can be very TIME CONSUMING. Allowing participants the opportunity to check their findings can take up valuable research time which can be spent more wisely. This may reduce the generalisability of the findings overall as the researchers will not have the time to gather data from more participants and therefore unable to make wider claims to the rest of the population.

Question 17

What are the ethical weaknesses of respondent validation?

Answer 17

• It could cause emotional HARMas going over experiences / responses for a second time with a researcher could have been distressing. This could decrease the validity as participants may change their responses if they feel interrogated leading to a lack of true insight into their lives

Question 18

What is methodological pluralism?

Answer 18

• A mixed method approach where methods are combined to provide a fuller and detailed, comprehensive picture of the topic. Combines both qualitative and quantitative methods
• leans more to qualitative data

Question 19

What are the theoretical strengths of methodological pluralism?

Answer 19

• Provides a detailed and in-depth examination of one particular case. Interpretivists would prefer this method as it gives a comprehensive insight into the study area.

Question 20

What are the practical strengths of methodological pluralism?

Answer 20

• methodological pluralism helps to ELIMINATE BIASES as a range of methods used to get a holistic understanding therefore increasing validity

Question 21

What are the ethical strengths of methodological pluralism?

Answer 21

• As participants will be reflected more accurately, validity is increased reducing the risk of emotional harm caused by misrepresentation.

Question 22

What are the theoretical weaknesses of methodological pluralism?

Answer 22

• Positivists may not be as interested in using a mixed method approach as not focused on getting a comprehensive understanding. Likely to produce lots of qualitative data which cannot be analysed objectively and it will be difficult to replicate - reducing reliability

Question 23

What are the ethical weaknesses of methodological pluralism?

Answer 23

• Depending on the methods used (will need to read source material carefully) it may difficult to uphold some of the ethical guidelines which could impact the validity of the results

Question 24

What are the practical weaknesses of methodological pluralism?

Answer 24

• Time consuming - will take a long time to carry out the variety of different methods which will potentially reduce the sample size reducing representativ

Question 25

What are the practical weaknesses of reflexivity?

Answer 25

- time consuming - this will need to be done on regular basis and notes will need to made each time to ensure it is done effectively

Question 26

What are the theoretical weaknesses of reflexivity?

Answer 26

- Positivists may not be interested in reflexivity as the methods they use tend to be objective so there is less likelihood of there being biases to influen