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sociology research methods > research methods T1/2 > Flashcards

research methods T1/2 Flashcards

1
Q

what are the two SOURCES of data?

A

primary and secondary.

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2
Q

what are the two TYPES of data?

A

quantitative data and qualitative data.

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3
Q

what is QUANtitative data?

A

information in numerical form.

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4
Q

what is qualitative data?

A

information that gives you a feel of what something is like.

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5
Q

what are some examples of QUANtitative data?

A

lab experiments
official statistics
STRUCTURED interviews

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6
Q

what are some examples of QUALitative data?

A

observations
diaries
UNSTRUCTURED interviews
field experiments

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7
Q

who likes QUANtitative data?

A

positivists

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8
Q

who likes QUALitative data?

A

interprativists

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9
Q

what are the 3 factors influencing choice of methods?

A

practical
ethical
theoretical

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10
Q

what are the 5 things that effect the practical factor on influencing choice of methods?

A

time and money
requirements of funding bodies
personal skills and characteristics
subject matter
research opportunities

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11
Q

what are the 5 things that effect the ethical factor on influencing choice of methods

A

informed consent
confidentiality and anonymity
harm to participants
vulnerable groups
covert to research

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12
Q

what are the 3 things that effect the theoretical factor on influencing choice of methods?

A

validity
reliability
representativeness

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13
Q

what are the two factors that influence the methodological perspective?

A

positivists view
interpretivists view

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14
Q

what is the positivists view on the methodological perspective?

A

prefer QUANtitative data and seek to discover patterns of behaviour. also see sociology as a science.

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15
Q

what is the interpretivists view on the methodological perspective?

A

prefer QUALitative data because they seek to understand social actors meaning. reject the idea sociology is a science.

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16
Q

what do positivists like their research to be like?

A

reliable and representative

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17
Q

what do interpretivists like their research to be like?

A

valid

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18
Q

what are the 4 factors influencing choice of topic?

A

sociologist perspective
society’s values
practical factors
funding bodies

19
Q

what is the process of gathering research

A

1: formulating an aim/hypothesis
2: choosing a research method
3: pilot study
4: choosing a sample
5: taking out the research
6: analysing data

20
Q

what are some sampling techniques?

A

random sampling
stratified random sampling
quota sampling
snowball sampling
opportunity sampling

21
Q

what are the 3 ways of studying human behaviour?

A

laboratory experiments
field experiments
comparative method

22
Q

what are the two groups in the laboratory experiments?

A

the experimental group
control group

23
Q

who like lab experiments?

A

positivism

24
Q

what are some practical advantages of laboratory experiments?

A

funding bodies
personal characteristics
easy and step by step

25
Q

what are some ethical advantages of laboratory experiments?

A

informed consent
legality
benefits society

26
Q

what are some theoretical advantages of laboratory experiments?

A

reliability
able to specify the precise steps
very detached method

27
Q

what are some practical disadvantages to laboratory experiments?

A

society is a very complex issue
time
money

28
Q

what are some ethical disadvantages to laboratory experiments?

A

lack of informed consent
deception
harm

29
Q

what are some theoretical disadvantages to laboratory experiments?

A

validity
representativeness

30
Q

what are the two main differences between field experiments and laboratory experiments?

A

they take place in a natural surrounding
those involved are typically not aware they are part of the experiment.

31
Q

what are some practical advantages of field experiments?

A

pre-existing setting
money

32
Q

what are some ethical advantages of field experiments?

A

confidentiality and privacy
unintrusive

33
Q

what are some theoretical advantages of field experiments?

A

validity

34
Q

what are some practical disadvantages to field experiments?

A

time
can’t control all variables and environment as it is real

35
Q

what are some ethical disadvantages to field experiments?

A

consent
covert

36
Q

what are some theoretical disadvantages to field experiments?

A

unreliable
unrepresentative

37
Q

what are the two steps in the comparative method?

A

step 1: identify two groups of people which are alike in all major respects except for the one variable we are interested in
step 2: compare the two groups to see if the difference between them has any effect.

38
Q

what are the main three advantages of the comparative method

A

it avoids artificiality
it can be used to study past events
poses no ethical problems

39
Q

what are some practical advantages to the comparative method?

A

money
time

40
Q

what are some ethical advantages to the comparative method

A

limited as there are no people involved

41
Q

what are some theoretical advantages of the comparative method?

A

reliable
representativeness

42
Q

what are some practical disadvantages to the comparative method?

A

access
there may be a language barrier or misunderstanding of data

43
Q

what are some ethical disadvantages to the comparative method?

A

limited as no people involved

44
Q

what are some theoretical disadvantages to the comparative method?

A

validity

sociology research methods (1 decks)

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