The Process Of Research

Question 1

Define hypothesis

Answer 1

A possible explanation that can be tested by collecting evidence to prove it true or false

Question 2

Is disregarding a hypothesis a bad thing?

Answer 2

No, it means progress has been made

Question 3

Give an advantage of hypothesis

Answer 3

Gives direction to our research. It will give a focus to our question, since their purpose is to gather information that will either confirm or refute (disprove) our hypothesis

Question 4

Do either positivists or interpretivists prefer using a hypothesis?

Answer 4

Positivists- as it is a starting point for research. This is because they seek to discover cause and effect relationships

Question 5

Define an aim

Answer 5

Identifies what we intend to study and hope to achieve through the research

Question 6

Give an advantage of using an aim

Answer 6

It is more more open- ended. We are not tied to trying to prove a particular hypothesis; instead we can gather data on anything that appears interesting about a situation

Question 7

Do either positivists or interpretivists prefer using an aim?

Answer 7

Interpretivists
-favour a broad aim rather than a hypothesis, since they are interested in understanding actors meanings, so the task is to find out what the actors themselves think is important, rather than to impose the researchers own possible explanations in the form of a hypothesis

Question 8

What is meant by operationalising a concept?

Answer 8

The process of converting a sociological concept (social class) into something we can measure

Question 9

How do positivists and interpretivists feel about operationalising a concept?

Answer 9

Positivists = they are concerned to operationalise concepts because of the importance they place on creating an testing hypotheses

Interpretivists = put less emphasis on operationalising concept because they are more interested in actors own definitions and understandings of ideas such as ‘class’ and ‘achievement’

Question 10

What’s involved in a pilot study?

Answer 10

Involves trying out a draft version of the questionnaire or interview schedule on a small scale

Question 11

Why is the aim of a pilot study?

Answer 11

To iron out any problems, refine or clarify questions and there wording and give interviewers practice, so the actual survey goes as smoothly as possible

Question 12

Give an example of people who carried out a pilot study

Answer 12

Young & Willmott (1962)
-carried out just over 100 pilot interviews to help them decide on the design of their study (the questions they ask and how they word them)

Question 13

Define a sample

Answer 13

Smaller sub-group drawn from a wider group that we are interested in

Question 14

Define sampling

Answer 14

Process of creating or selecting a sample

Question 15

What is the purpose of sampling?

Answer 15

Ensure that those people chosen to be included in the study are representative/typical of the research, including all the people we have not been able to include in the study

-as long as the sample is representative, we should be able to generalise the findings to the whole research population

Question 16

What is a sampling frame?

Answer 16

List of all the members of the population we are interested in studying

Question 17

What can happen once a sampling frame is obtained?

Answer 17

The sample can be chosen from it - however needs to be representative of the wider population that we are interested in

Question 18

What are the 4 types of sampling techniques?

Answer 18

• random
• quasi-random/ systematic
• stratifies random
• quota

Question 19

What is random sampling?

Answer 19

Simplest technique, where the sample is selected purely by chance.
For example, names are drawn from a hat.
Everyone has an equal chance of being selected. A large enough random sample should reflect characteristics of the whole population

Question 20

What is quasi-random / systematic sampling?

Answer 20

Every nth person in the sampling frame is selected

Question 21

What is stratified random sampling?

Answer 21

The researcher first stratifies (breaks down) the population in the sampling frame by age, class, gender etc.. the sample is then created in the same proportions of the population (if 20%of the population are under 18, then 20% of the sample will be the same)

Question 22

What is quota sampling?

Answer 22

The population is stratified, and then each interviewer is given a quota of say, 20 females and 20 males, which they have to fill with respondents who fit these characteristics

Question 23

What 2 reasons may the sample not be representative?

Answer 23

Practical and theoretical issues

Question 24

What are the practical issues around making a sample representative?

Answer 24

• the social characteristics of the research population, such as age, gender and class may not be known- thus it is impossible to create a sample that was an exact cross section of the research population
• may be impossible to find or create a sampling frame for that particular research population
• potential respondents may refuse to participate

Question 25

When it is not possible to create a representative sample, sociologists use what?

Answer 25

Snowball sampling OR opportunity sampling

Question 26

What is snowball sampling?

Answer 26

Involves collecting a sample by contacting a number of key individuals, who are asked to suggest others who might be interviewed, and so on, adding to the sample ‘snowball’ fashion, until enough data has been collected

Question 27

What is opportunity sampling?

Answer 27

Sometimes called convenience sampling, involves choosing from those individuals who are easiest to access

Question 28

What are the theoretical issues around making a sample representative?

Answer 28

Even though it is possible to create a representative sample, some researchers may not chose to do so, because of their methodological perspective
-interpretivists believe that it is more important to obtain valid data and an authentic understanding of social actors meaning than to discover general laws of behaviour- less concerned =less need for representative samples