Term
| What does sociological research set out to do? |
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Definition
• Gather data: can be statistical info or observations of people in social situations
• Establish correlations: however, just because there's a correlation doesn't mean there is a causal relationship
• Develop theories: often involves proving an explanation for correlations |
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Term
| Sources and types of data |
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Definition
Primary and secondary data
Quantitative and qualitative data |
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Term
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Definition
Reliability
Validity
Representativeness
Generalizability
Objectivity |
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Term
| Main areas of ethical concern? |
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Definition
1. Choice of topic
(Values of the researcher, own interests as a professional such as furthering their career etc)
2. Choice of group to be studied
(Problems of access, means most power groups studied less)
3. Gaining consent
4. Effects on the people being studied (e.g. Harm - making ppts behave immorally etc)
5. Confidentiality
6. Effects on wider society (e.g. families giving info they want to keep secret)
7. Issues of legality and immorality |
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Term
| Relationship between theories and choice of an area of research? |
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Definition
| Consider fact that what Feminists, Marxists and functionalists believe will influence their choice of research projects |
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Term
| Relationship between theory and techniques of study? |
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Definition
Top-down approaches: these sociologists often prefer quantitative methods. Often positivists.
Bottom-up approaches: these sociologists often prefer qualitative methods. Often interpretivists.
Triangulation and mixed methods research (mixture of both qualitative and quantitative methods) |
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Term
Relationship between practical issues and research?
1. Funding |
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Definition
funding orgs can range from those who wish to extend knowledge about society and improve quality of life (Joseph Rowntreen Foundation) to private companies wanting to sell more products or services (such as market research orgs)
The aim will constrain the research choices and activities of sociologists.
E.g. Gov: sociologists have to sign contract that restricts what they can say and publish about their findings |
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Term
Relationship between practical issues and research?
2. Academic specialism |
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Definition
Sociologists at uni specialize in particular areas within sociology, such as the family
The research they wish to undertake will be within their specialism |
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Term
Relationship between practical issues and research?
3. Personal reasons |
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Definition
Sociologists want to have successful careers, to be promoted and respected.
If there are various areas of research to choose from, the sociologist may choose the one that could lead to promotion |
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Term
Relationship between practical issues and research?
4. Appropriate methods |
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Definition
Research method is often dictated by the situation
E.g. If a large number of people need to be studied, then the sociologist will probably use questionnaires or possibly interviews |
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Term
| Quantitative methods of primary research |
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Definition
Surveys: can be used to find out 'facts' about the pop., uncover differences in beliefs/values/behaviour, test a hypothesis
Pilot study often done first, can be longitudinal
(E.G. BRITISH CRIME SURVEY)
Experiments (mainly field experiments)
Comparative research
Case studies |
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Term
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Definition
• Random sampling: involves selection of people using a sampling frame (types are systematic, stratified or cluster sampling)
• Quota sampling: often used by market research companies and is used purely as the basis for interviews
• Non-representative sampling: often used if researchers don't want a cross section of the pop., or are unable to obtain one (types are snowball and theoretical sampling) |
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Term
| Types of qualitative methods of research? |
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Definition
• Observational studies (non-ppt or ppt, overt or covert)
• informal interviews (often open questions, often recorded for sociologist to listen back and make notes later)
• focus groups: group informal interview, role of researcher is to ensure discussion doesn't stray too far away from the desired research topic) |
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Term
Conducting ethnographic/observational research
1. Getting in |
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Definition
• making contact: personal skills, having the right connections, chance
• acceptance: win trust and acceptance. Researchers age, gender, class or ethnicity may be an obstacle
• observers role: shouldn't disrupt the groups normal patterns, offer a good vantage point from which to make observations |
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Term
Conducting ethnographic/observational research
2. Staying in |
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Definition
Going native: by over-identifying w/the group, the research risks becoming biased
However, if they're overly detached they risk not understanding the events they observe
Also, longer the researcher stays w/group the less obvious things appear-> observer may cease to notice |
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Term
Conducting ethnographic/observational research
3. Getting out |
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Definition
• can halt study and leave
• loyalty may prevent full disclosure
• returning to normal may be hard (esp. If researcher has been w/group for long time) |
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Term
| Why sociologists use secondary sources? |
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Definition
• the info required already exists as secondary data
• historical info is needed, but the main ppts are dead/too old to be interviewed
• researcher is unable for financial/other reasons to visit places and collect data firsthand
• the subject of the research concerns illegal activities and it's unsafe for the research to collect primary data
• data needs to be collected about groups who are unwilling to provide accounts of their activities |
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Term
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Definition
• previous sociological research
(First thing sociologists do is carry out a literature search)
• official publications, including statistics and reports
(Often provide far greater scale and detail, also cheaper)
• diaries and letters
• novels and other works of fiction
• oral history and family histories
• the media |
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Term
| INTERVIEWER BIAS CAN RESULT FROM THE FOLLOWING FACTORS: |
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Definition
• the social characteristics of the interviewer: (ethnicity/age/sex/physical appearance/accent/clothing/haircut) will influence how the interviewer perceives them and may affect responses
• leading the interviewee: the interviewer may, consciously or not,direct the interviewer towards certain answers (leading questions, tone of voice or other forms of non-verbal communication)
• misunderstandings: interviewer is likely to influence the course of the interviewer if they misunderstand what the interviewer is trying to say, either forcing them to explain themselves more or directing the convo in a particular direction) |
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Term
| WHY RESEARCH IS BETTER THAN COMMON SENSE |
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Definition
• research is based on evidence whereas CS for one person is different from another's
• research can be conducted in areas where most people have little experience whereas CS derives from personal experience
• research is objective whereas CS is subjective
• research can be tested whereas CS can be based on false beliefs and info
• research can compare memories with other evidence to check accuracy whereas CS is often based upon memories which may be faulty |
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