Social Science Methods Flashcards
LO2: disting btw quantit and qualit meths, and id approp study design for diff types of research Q.
-QUANTIT: collec numerical data. Start with hypoth. Deduc allows conclus about rels btw variable,s somet causal. Reliable and repeatable.
-eg exp studies eg RCT. Cohort. CC. X sec survey.
Or secondary anal data from other sources eg official stats, nat surveys, loc and regional surveys.
-Qairres-range applics. Meas expos to RF, eff of lifest and diet, knowl and attits, satisfac with HC. Should be valid- meas what supposed to. And reliable- meas things consistently, diffs due pp diffs not underst/interp. Published Qairres have been etsted for validity and reliab, unpub are dev in specif contexts, rel and val need to be est. mainly closed Qs, can be self compl on paper or administered eg phone, interv, internet. Can ask for clarif if other, or leave sp for comments, need plan bef how to anal, more qual.
-quant good- desc, meas, find rels, allow compar.
Bad- force inapp categs, not allow express how want, not access all imp info, not est causality.
LO2:
-QUALIT: aim to make sense of phenom in terms of meanings people bring to them. Listen and underst perspec. emph pp meaning, exper and views. Anal emph researchers ineterp, not meas. Insight into behav.
-eg obs and ethnography. Study hum behav nat context. Obs what do not rely on what tell you (rationalisations). 2 forms- pp obs or non pp obs. See things people may give bias reports of, or may not mention as think not imp. Obs labour intensive. Comm comb with formal interv and other sources data.
-Interv. Semi struc= struc by propmts, clear agenda but foll rigidly, conversational, emph on pp perspec. Or detailed foc account rel to iss of int, someone views or explanat not just a desc.
-Focus grp. Flexib, can quick est parameters, or acc collective grp underst of iss. Less usef for indiv exper. May encourage participat. Some topics too sensit. Deviant views poss inhibited. Diffic to arr, consid grp members eg status, need homogenous, good facilitator req.
-Documentary and media anal- indep ev eg med record, pt diary. May prov hx context. Usef for subjects diffic to investig. Can anal media sources.
-anal qualit data iterative labour intensive. Often inductive appr- close inspec data, id themes, prod specificat for themes, asign data to themes, const comp data anal ag themes.
-qual good- underst perspec, acc info not gained by quantit, expl rels btw varibs.
Bad- find consis rels, generalisabil.
-appraising qual- needs be robust. Debate over criteria. CASP tool eg. Transparent sampling, methods and anal v imp. Audit trail if good.
LO2: SUMM
-quantit- numbers, point of view of researcher, researcher distant, theory testing, static, structured, generalisat, macro, behav, causality?
-qualit- words and artefacts, point of view of pp, researcher close, theory emergent, process, less struc, contextual underst, micro, meaning, causality?
-choosing approp study design-
Deps on- topic and research Q, teams pref/expertise, time and money, funders/audience.
Diff meths can be used in same study esp if complem.
LO1: desc range of soc science meths for investig health and illness.
-need soc sci so confid in answer qs about soc life. Policy and prac based on soc sci research needs appraisal and access by drs.
