soicological approaches and methods - key methods xx

Question 1

what’s an aim?

Answer 1

general statement about what a sociologists expects to find out in research

Question 2

what’s a hypothesis?

Answer 2

a prediction about what the sociologists expects they will find in research

Question 3

what’s a pilot study?

Answer 3

small test run of a study on which is carried out before the main study to check for any problems (e.g. equipment)

Question 4

what’s sampling?

Answer 4

how participants are chosen to take part in a study (e.g. volunteer, opportunity)

Question 5

what’s primary data?

Answer 5

data which is collected first hand by the researchers (e.g. using a questionnaire or interview)

Question 6

what’s secondary data?

Answer 6

data that already exists and is used by the researcher (e.g. official statistics, letters)

Question 7

what’s quantitive data?

Answer 7

data in numerical forms

Question 8

what’s qualitative data?

Answer 8

data that’s visual or in letter ( e.g. diaries, photographs)

Question 9

what’s validity?

Answer 9

accuracy of finding- how truthful the data is

Question 10

what reliability?

Answer 10

how consistent the findings are. if we repeated the study would we find the same results?