Research methods Summary Flashcards
Explain Interpretivism
What 3 things are they interested in?
What does Weber call this?
What type of methods do they prefer?
What type of info do they use?
What is an example of this?
> Interested in experiences, accounts, and opinions of people
> Interested in putting yourself in someone elses shoes
> Weber calls this Verstehen - (Understanding)
> Prefer methods that produce qualitative data, descriptive
> Info they use makes us feel for what something is like.
> e.g. what it feels like to get Good GCSE’s or if your marriage ends in divorc
Explain Positivism (Structural)
See world as what?
These can only be measured with what?
What are examples of sociologists?
What methods do they prefer?
What type of Info do they use?
What is an example of this?
> See world made up of scientific laws
> These can only be measured with hard empirical proof
> Examples of Sociologists e.g. Durkheim
> Prefer methods that produce Quantitative data.
> Info in numerical or statistical form
> e.g. NO of Girls who get A* in GCSE’s or % of marriage ending in divorce
What are examples of Data and Methods used by Structuralists
> Closed Questionnaire
Structured Interviews
Stats
Experiments
What are examples of Data and Methods used by
Interpretivists
> Open Questionnaire
Unstructured Interview
Life Documents
Participant Obs
In Social Surveys, what is the procedure?
Procedures to ask questions on aspect of human behaviour, sociologist is interested in e.g voting
What are the 2 Main Research methods involved in Social Surveys?
Questionnaires and Interview
What are the 3 Aspects considered in relation to evaluating the usefulness of Sociological Research Methods?
> Practicality
Ethical
Theoretical
Give issues that come under Practicality that need to be considered?
Time
Access
Funding
Cost
Personal Danger
Explain Issues that come under Ethical that need to be considered?
Harm
Deception
Privacy and Confidentiality
Social Effects of Research
Explain Issues that come under Theoretical that need to be considered?
Objectivity
Reliability
Validity
Representative
Define Reliability, in relation to Research Methods?
Other sociologists could repeat research and get same results
Define Validity, in relation to Research Methods?
Provides true picture of topic researched.
Define Interviews in relation to Research Methods
Alternative method for questionnaires, usually face 2 face
Useful for getting more detailed info
Allowing more natural and flexible approach to questioning
Vary from un/structured interviews
Define Semi-Structured Interview
Each interview has same set of questions, but interviewer can also probe for more info.
Define Structured Interviews
Who are they preferred by?
> Researcher reads out list of fixed questions, using same tone of voice, facial expressions etc
> Structured/formal interviews are preferred by positivists.