Sociology - Research methods
Factors influencing choice of methods.
- Created by: jade.l.m
- Created on: 21-04-15 16:00
View mindmap
- Factors influencing choice of methods.
- Practical issues
- Time and money
- Large scale surveys may employ dozens of interviewers and data-inputting staff.
- A small scale project involving a lone researching using participant observation may cheaper but take longer.
- requirements of funding bodies
- The organisations that fund the research may want the data in a specific format which may mean that the method has to be changed in order for it to be a certain type of data e.g. qualitative/quantitative
- Personal skills and characteristics
- Different sociologists have different skills which may come in use for particular research methods e.g. interviewers need to be able to build a rapport. ve
- Subject matter
- It may be much harder to study a particular group or subject by oe method than by another. E.g. a male sociologist may find it difficult to carry out participant observation in an all – female group.
- Research opportunity
- If the research opportunity is unexpectedly “offered” to them then they may not have time to prepare.
- Example: Patrick was given the change “out of the blue” to join a gang so he chose participant observation without any preparation.
- Time and money
- Ethical issues
- Informed consent
- The participants should be offered the right to refuse to be involved. They should be fully informed so they can make a decision. They should confirm whether they want to take part before and during the study
- Confidentiality and privacy
- The participants’ identities are kept secret to prevent any potential harm. Researchers should also respect their privacy. All personal information should be confidential
- Harm to research participants
- Researchers should be aware of any possible harm whether it be psychological/social/physical. Wherever possible, researchers should prevent harm and protect their participants.
- Vulnerable groups
- If the participants are particularly vulnerable whether it be due to age/disability/physical or mental health then special care need to be taken.
- Covert research
- This can be considered an ethical issue as it is deceiving and lying to people in order to gain their trust. their participants.
- Informed consent
- Theoretical issues
- Validity
- Many sociologists argue that qualitative methods such as participant observation are more valid because we get a deeper insight through first hand experience.
- Reliability
- If it is replicable, it is reliable. If you carry out a study multiple times and get similar results then it is reliable.
- Representativeness
- You get a sample and then find out if it is representative of a larger population. If you can say it is representative then you can make generalisations with your findings. Large scale quantitative surveys are more likely to produces representative data.
- Methodological perspective
- Positivists prefer quantitative data, seek to discover patterns of behaviour and see sociology as a science.
- Interpretivists prefer qualitative data, seek to understand social actors’ meanings and reject the view that sociology can model itself on the natural sciences.
- Validity
- Practical issues
Comments
No comments have yet been made