Research Methods: Research Design (WJEC Eduqas GCSE Sociology): Flashcards

A hypothesis is a prediction of what the sociologist expects to discover, written as a testable statement.

A hypothesis is a testable prediction that the evidence from a study will either support or refute.

Researchers use sources such as earlier studies, reviews of existing literature, new technology, personal interests and current social issues.

A pilot study is a small-scale trial study with a very small sample, carried out before the main research.

A pilot study can identify problems such as ambiguous or confusing questions, repetitive questions and a questionnaire that takes too long.

False.

A pilot study may save time, money and effort in the long run, because the researcher can test the chosen methods before the main study.

Practical, ethical and theoretical issues influence a sociologist's choice of research method.

Positivism is the view that sociologists can only obtain knowledge about the social world through scientific methods like those of the natural sciences.

Positivists develop hypotheses, which are testable predictions, and test them to discover the facts.

Positivists focus on behaviour that researchers can observe and measure, rather than on feelings or emotions.

Quantitative methods, such as large-scale surveys, gather facts and figures to describe society in statistical terms.

Interpretivism is the view that sociologists should use non-scientific methods to study the social world.

False.

Interpretivists argue that people are completely different from the subject matter of the natural sciences, so scientific methods are inappropriate.

Interpretivists aim to understand the meaning behind people's behaviour and intentions.

Qualitative methods, such as in-depth interviews and participant observation, collect rich, detailed accounts rather than statistics.

Interpretivist research finds it difficult to achieve objectivity, because the researcher's own beliefs and interpretations can affect the outcomes.

A mixed methods approach collects numerical (quantitative) and detailed (qualitative) data within the same study.

Combining methods to cross-check findings is sometimes called triangulation.

Mac an Ghaill backed up his interviews and observations with statistical data from schools.

False.

Data from one method may dominate or contradict the findings from the other methods.

Eileen Barker designed a questionnaire to test whether her qualitative findings were consistent on a larger scale.

Mixed methods give a richer picture because they combine numbers with personal meanings and experiences.

The target population is the group of people or institutions that a sociologist wants to study.

A sample is a subgroup of the population that researchers study when questioning the full population is impossible.

A sampling frame is a full list of all members of the population, e.g. school registers or the voters' roll.

False.

An inaccurate sampling frame produces an unrepresentative sample, so generalising the results to the wider population is difficult.

Random sampling gives each member of the population an equal chance of selection.

Stratified random sampling works by dividing the population into strata, such as age and gender groups, and drawing a random sample from each stratum in proportion to its size.

False.

Stratified sampling is more representative, because simple random sampling could leave out certain groups by chance.

Random sampling methods reduce bias because the researcher does not influence who takes part.

A random sample may fail to represent the population because the people it selects may refuse to take part.

To pick 100 students from 500 by systematic sampling, a researcher selects every fifth name on the register.

Quota sampling is when an interviewer must interview an exact number of people from certain categories, in proportion to their numbers in the wider population.

False.

Quota sampling is not random, because the interviewer chooses who to approach, e.g. people who look friendly.

Quota sampling can take less time because it does not need a sampling frame.

Snowball sampling is when a researcher gains the trust of one member of a population, who then identifies others willing to take part, e.g. drug users.

A purposive sample selects people with a known characteristic, such as being a headteacher or a cancer survivor.

Opportunity sampling uses anyone available and willing to take part at the time of the research, e.g. undergraduate students.

Non-representative sampling methods are convenient, saving the researcher time and effort, and may be the only way to obtain a sample.

Before collecting data, researchers must complete a pilot study and select a sample.

Quantitative data is data in numerical form, usually displayed in graphs, bar charts or tables.

Qualitative data is data in visual or verbal form, such as words or quotations, instead of numbers.

Sociologists collect quantitative primary data using standardised, large-scale methods such as questionnaires.

Sociologists collect qualitative primary data through methods such as unstructured interviews and participant observation.

False.

Personal documents such as letters, diaries and autobiographies are sources of secondary data, because the researcher did not produce them.

Sociologists use official statistics, such as police-recorded crime, and data from government surveys such as the census.

Practical issues are factors such as time, cost and access that influence which research methods sociologists choose.

Unstructured interviews require a lot of time and money to carry out, input and analyse the data, so researchers may choose a cheaper, small-scale project instead.

False.

A well-known professor will likely have more research funds than a young student, which affects the methods they can use.

Analysing data means interpreting or making sense of the information and summarising the key outcomes.

Computer software can summarise the data, examine relationships between factors and present results as graphs and bar charts.

After analysing the data, the sociologist draws conclusions and determines whether the data supports their hypothesis.

Experienced sociologists review their peers' work to evaluate it, e.g. to check its validity and that the researcher safeguarded participants.

Research is valid if it actually measures what it set out to measure, giving a true picture of the topic.

Research findings are reliable if repeating the research with the same methods produces the same results.

Participant observation is considered more valid because it gives the researcher deeper insight through first-hand experience of what it is like to be a group member.

False.

Quantitative methods such as questionnaires are considered more reliable because they are standardised: all participants answer the same questions.

Asking whether police-recorded crime statistics really measure the extent of crime is a question about their validity.

Representativeness refers to whether the participants in a study represent a larger group.

A typical cross-section allows researchers to use their findings to make generalisations about the wider population.

False.

Researchers can make generalisations only if their research is valid, reliable and representative.

Large-scale quantitative methods such as questionnaires and sampling methods such as stratified sampling help sociologists obtain a representative sample.

The British Sociological Association sets the ethical guidelines that sociologists must follow.

Informed consent means researchers tell participants the aim of the research and their role in it, so they can decide whether to take part or refuse.

If participants are under 18, researchers should gain consent from their parents.

Confidentiality means researchers do not reveal participants' identities when they report on their research.

Researchers should keep survey respondents anonymous and keep their data secure.

Researchers should anticipate and prevent harm, such as psychological harm, and give participants a debrief afterwards.