A Level Sociology - Research Methods Set 1 Of 3

Front 1

Research is valid when

Back 1

It gives a true picture of what is being measured.

Front 2

Research is reliable if

Back 2

Other sociologists using the same methods get the same data.

Front 3

Primary sources of data

Back 3

Involve first-hand research, e.g. interviews, focus groups, questionnaires or observations.

Front 4

Secondary data is data from

Back 4

Research carried out by other people and includes official statistics.

Front 5

Quantitative data

Back 5

Is numbers and statistics

Front 6

Qualitative data gives

Back 6

A detailed picture of what people do, think and feel.

Front 7

Qualitative data is subjective

Back 7

because it involves opinions, meanings and interpretation

Front 8

Secondary research involves

Back 8

Reading articles, publications and other sources of information already produced on the subject.

Front 9

Secondary research is needed to

Back 9

1. Clarify the issues around the topic

2. Learn about things that might go wrong with the method and sample.

3. Help to validate own research at the end of the project.

Front 10

Official statistics

Back 10

Data produced by local and central government, e.g. crime statistics

Front 11

Hard statistics

Back 11

Facts that you can't fiddle, e.g. numbers of births, deaths and marriages

Front 12

Soft statistics

Back 12

Politicians can fiddle then, e.g. statistics on crime, poverty and unemployment. In the 1980s and 1990s, the government changed the method used to measure unemployment over 20 times.

Front 13

Research questions

Back 13

These are questions that help to focus sociological research

Front 14

Terms are operationalized

Back 14

This makes them measurable, e.g. what exactly is meant by old age.

Front 15

Operationalization of terms is done so that

Back 15

Research is reliable and valid.

Front 16

Triangulation

Back 16

When sociologists combine different methods or data. Used to gain a depth of information and validate research

Front 17

The sample

Back 17

A group of people included in the research

Front 18

When a research sample is representative it

Back 18

Represents the views of the population being researched, e.g. it has similar proportions of people in terms of age, class, ethnicity and gender.

Front 19

If the population is homogenous

Back 19

It is all the same

Front 20

If the population is heterogeneous

Back 20

It is all different

Front 21

Simple random sample

Back 21

Names are selected randomly from a list.

Front 22

Stratified sample

Back 22

The researcher will divide the population into groups and make a random selection with the right proportions (if 60% of the population is male, 60% of the sample must be male).

Front 23

Snowball sampling

Back 23

The researcher finds an initial contact and gets them to give them more names for their research

Front 24

Quota sample

Back 24

Research selects people who fit a certain category (say, 15 people between the ages of 30 and 40).

Front 25

A pilot study

Back 25

A small scale piece of research used as a practice run

Front 26

A pilot study is done to

Back 26

1. Make the research more valid and more reliable

2. Test the accuracy of questions

3. Check if there are technical problems with the research design

4. Train researchers.

5. Get funding

Front 27

Consent (an ethical issue)

Back 27

All participants must have openly agreed to take part.

Front 28

Confidentiality (an ethical issue)

Back 28

The details of all participants and their actions must remain confidential and private

Front 29

Avoidance of harm (ethical issue)

Back 29

Participants should not be physically or psychologically harmed by the research process.

Front 30

Avoidance of deception (ethical issue)

Back 30

Researchers should be open and honest about the study and its implications.