Types of Data

Question 1

What are the two types of statistics?

Answer 1

Hard statistics - objective - birth/death rates

Soft statistics - subjective - crime, poverty

Question 2

What are some sources of official statistics?

Answer 2

Social trends (a collection of government surveys)

UK Census

Crime Survey for England and Wales

Question 3

What are some major sources of secondary data?

Answer 3

Documents - any written text

Mass media

Question 4

What are the advantages of primary data?

Answer 4

High level of control

Data will fit your research aims

Can control the sample and make it as representative or focused as you like

Question 5

What are the limitations of primary data?

Answer 5

Barriers to accessing certain groups

Less time/cost effective

Imposition problem

Sample may have to be small, therefore less representative

Question 6

What are the advantages of secondary data?

Answer 6

Could access bigger sample

Geographically dispersed sample

Easily accessible (no gatekeeping)

See trends over time

Question 7

What are the limitations of secondary data?

Answer 7

Less control over variables

May not suit research aims

Operationalising differently

May be invalid/biased

Question 8

Name 5 practical issues of sociology

Answer 8

Interpretation of responses

Rapport and bias

Time and cost

Response rates

Hard to access RPS

Gatekeepers

Getting in, staying in, getting out

How to administer questionnaires

Language barriers and slang

Question 9

What are the ethical concerns of sociology?

Answer 9

Honest and open

Physical or psychological harm

Privacy and confidentiality

Legal