Theory and methods. Flashcards
Structuralism?
Structuralism focuses on large scale social structures (like media, law, family etc.) in which people play defined roles.
Functionalism?
Functionalism: the only sociological perspective based on consensus. It focuses on how various social structures help society function and run smoothly.
Steps of carrying a research?
Identify a problem.
Obtains funds.
Hypothesis, a theory that the research is designed to test.
Literature review, an overview of previously published documents on a topic relating the research.
Pilot studies, a small scale test held before the real research
Sampling.
Investigation.
Collect, comprehend, compile, record.
Publish the findings.
Random sampling
Random sampling: where everyone has an equal chance of being choosen, for eg, by drawing lots.
Generalisiabiltiy?
Generalisability: when findings about a sample can be said to apply to a larger group of people sharing their characteristics.
Methods of sociological investigation?
Questionnaires/ social surveys.
Interviews.
Experiments.
Case studies.
Longitudinal studies.
Participant observation.
non-participant observation.
Content analysis.
Triangulation.
Types of
Questionnaires/ social surveys.
Questionnaires/ social surveys.
Types of questions in questionnaires:
Close or pre-coded questions.
Scaled questions.
Open questions.
Close/ pre-coded questions?
Questions where the researcher has already set out the answers that can be recorded.
This, makes it easy to analyse and record the data/produces statatistical data. However a problem with this is that respondents may want to give answers not availble in the options provided, though this can be overcome by adding an other(specify) option.
Scaled questions?
A form of close ended questions. These include: Strongly agree, Agree, Neither, Disagree, Strongly disagree.
Often to avoid making a choice respondents will choose ‘neither’. To produce data that actually proves smth, researcher can exclude the said option, however, this might force people who actually don’t have a preference to choose.
Open questions?
Open qustions are where respondents can write their own answers. This is to dwelve into the why of things, i.e. the meaning people attatch to their action/beliefs.
This produces quantitative date. Quantitative data is hard to analyse and recorded, howevr coding answers can make things easier.
Ways of conducting surveys?
Self completion surveys.
Structured Interviews.
Self completion surveys?
Questionnaires completed by the respondent on their own, without the researcher present.
Structured Interviews?
Interviews in which questions are standarised ( the same questions asked in the same order.) and the replies codified to produce quantitative data.
These include:
Face-to-face questionnaires.
Telephone questionnaires.
Reliability and Validity?
validity: when the research can be repeated and similar responses will be obtained.
reliability: when the findings acurately reflect the reality that it is intended to capture.
Unstructured interviews
Unstructured interviews, is an interview without set questions, this involves dwelling into things like emotions. Encouraging the respondent but not talking much overall, this produces qualitative data.
Identity?
Identity: how a person sees themselves and how others see them.
Experiments.
Experiments are neglected method, a positivist one at that.
Laboratory experiments.
Laboratory experiments: experiments taking place in an artificial setting created for the research where external variables are excluded as far as possible.
Field experiments.
Field experiments are experiments that take place in the natural setting of the real world rather than in a laboratory.
Case studies.
Case study: a detailed in-depth study of one group or event.
Longitudinal studies.
Longitudinal studies: a survey taking place at intervals over a long period of time.
