Research Methods: Types & Interpretation of Data (AQA GCSE Sociology): Flashcards

When interviewer characteristics such as age, gender or ethnicity influence the answers given, this is known as the interviewer effect.

Some feminists dislike structured interviews because they are based on unequal power relationships between the interviewer and the interviewee.

A longitudinal study follows a group of people over a period of time, rather than capturing just one moment.

In a panel study, a randomly selected sample is surveyed on two or more occasions; in a cohort study, everyone shares a characteristic or experience and is surveyed at regular intervals.

False.

Longitudinal studies are relatively expensive and time-consuming because of the long time scale involved.

Attrition is when participants withdraw from a longitudinal study over time, which reduces the sample size and makes generalisation difficult.

An unstructured interview has no standardised interview schedule and is like a conversation with a purpose.

A semi-structured interview is where the interviewer has a list of questions or issues to cover in any order and can explore issues the interviewee raises.

Unstructured interviews allow complex issues to be explored, collecting rich, detailed data about the interviewee's experiences.

False.

Without a standardised schedule, unstructured interviews are difficult to replicate, so their reliability is low.

Feminists prefer in-depth interviews because the interviewer and interviewee have an equal relationship, so interviewees can express their experiences and feelings.

A focus group is a group interview that concentrates on one particular topic and explores how people interact and respond to each other's views.

In group interviews, interviewees may influence one another, some may dominate the conversation and confidentiality cannot be guaranteed.

Participant observation is where the researcher joins the group being studied and takes part in its daily activities.

In covert participant observation, the group is unaware of the researcher's identity.

False.

In overt observation, informed consent can be obtained; covert observation raises ethical issues because participants have not consented and their privacy is invaded.

The observer effect (or Hawthorne effect) is when the researcher's presence changes the behaviour of the group being studied.

Participant observation might produce biased findings because the researcher may become too involved with the group, making it hard to stay objective.

Non-participant observation is where the researcher observes a group's activities in a natural setting without taking part in them.

A non-participant observer may use an observation schedule, such as logging the type of classroom activity every 30 seconds.

False.

As the observer is outside the group, it is difficult to establish rapport, which affects the validity of the data.

A case study is a detailed study of an institution (such as a school) or a series of related events, usually carried out over a long period of time.

Case studies usually have a small sample size, so they are not representative of the wider population.

Secondary data is data collected by other individuals or organisations, which sociologists use second-hand in their research.

Examples of quantitative secondary data include birth rates, marriage rates and unemployment rates.

Official statistics are compiled by the Office for National Statistics.

Official statistics are based on large samples; the census, for example, covers the whole population of England and Wales.

Official statistics allow sociologists to investigate trends over time, such as changes in crime, marriage and divorce rates.

False.

Interpretivists argue that official statistics lack insight, as they tell us nothing about what divorce means to individuals.

Official statistics are based on decisions made by people; for example, a police officer may decide not to record a reported crime.

Divorce statistics exclude empty-shell marriages and separations, so they may not fully fit the research aim.

Non-official statistics are statistics produced by non-governmental bodies, such as banks, charities and market research organisations.

False.

Non-official statistics do not share the same level of quality as official statistics.

Existing survey data saves time and money, is often high quality because it comes from large samples and allows longitudinal analysis.

One limitation of analysing data collected by other researchers is that the researcher has no control over the quality of the data, key variables may be missing and variables may be defined differently.

Sources of qualitative secondary data include existing research studies, mass media products, personal documents such as diaries, internet material and autobiographies.

Using existing qualitative data saves time and money, and written documents can provide useful background information.

False.

Personal documents may be forged, so their contents may not be true.

An autobiography might give a distorted account of events because the events may have been misinterpreted or affected by the writer's prejudices.

Content analysis is a way of dealing systematically with qualitative secondary sources, such as newspapers and television advertisements.

In content analysis, the researcher first constructs a set of predetermined categories.

Once the content has been coded, the researcher counts up the number of times each category appears.

False.

Content analysis generates quantitative data, so different products can be compared statistically to identify trends.

Content analysis can be checked for reliability because the researcher works with a set of categories, so the analysis can be replicated.

Content analysis is time-consuming, and it involves subjective judgements, which may produce data that lacks validity.

A trend is the general direction in which statistics move.

A trend can be rising, falling or fluctuating (changing up and down a lot).

The x-axis of a bar chart shows discrete (not continuous) categories, such as A-level exam entries by gender.

False.

Bar charts have gaps between each category on the x-axis, unlike histograms.

The y-axis shows the frequency, as a score, number or percentage.

Sociologists use a line graph to show changes in quantitative data over a specific time period.

In a pie chart, each category is shown as a slice called a sector, and the larger it is, the more frequently that category occurs.

Pie charts represent categorical data, such as the different family types in the UK.

False.

Pie charts are a simple way of presenting data because each category is easily comparable.

Tables arrange data systematically into rows and columns, so comparisons can be made and conclusions drawn.