Topic 1 Flashcards
What does representativeness refer to in sociological research?
Whether the studied individuals are a typical cross-section of the group being researched.
Why is having a representative sample important?
It allows for generalizations to be made about the wider population.
Which research methods are more likely to produce representative data?
Large scale quantitative methods.
What are the two contrasting methodological perspectives in sociology?
Positivists and Interpretivists.
What do positivists prefer in their research?
Quantitative data and discovering patterns of behavior.
Which sociological approaches take a positivist perspective?
Functionalists and Marxists.
What do interpretivists prefer in their research?
Qualitative data to understand social actors’ meanings.
What is the primary focus of interpretivists in sociology?
Understanding meanings from a micro-level perspective.
What is a key factor influencing a sociologist’s choice of research method?
Their theoretical perspective.
What practical and ethical factors can limit a sociologist’s choice of method?
Time, resources, access, consent, and privacy.
True or False: A sociologist can always use their preferred research method.
False.
Fill in the blank: A sociologist’s theoretical perspective is usually the most important factor when choosing a _______.
[method].
How can sheer chance influence a research method choice?
An unexpected event may provide an opportunity for a specific study, like participant observation.
What example does Tuckett (2001) provide regarding chance influencing research?
A postgraduate sociology student conducted a participant observation study while in the hospital.
What is the difference between primary and secondary research?
Primary Information is collected by sociologists for their own purposes where as secondary data is data that has already been created by someone else
1 advantage and 1 disadvantage of primary data
Advantage - gather precisely the information needed to test your hypothesis.
Disadvantage - time consuming or costly most of the time.
1 advantage and 1 disadvantage of secondary data?
Advantage - can be quick and cheap
Disadvantage - information may not provide exactly what’s needed
True or false - A hypothesis is, a prediction/statement for what will be the result of the experiment/study
True
