Official statistics

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  • Created by: Revisonf
  • Created on: 05-01-14 16:27
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  • Official Statistics
    • ADVANTAGES:
      • Cheap and easily available; also cover alot of social aspects.
      • Only data available for certain topics.
      • Allow sociologists to see the pattern of change overtime. Can study trends such as crime, unemployment, abortions, ect.
      • May be used as part of the research design; one of the many methods used in a sociologists' research.
    • DISADVANTAGES:
      • The definitions of certain situations may vary between a sociologist and an official.
        • EXAMPLE: Divorce rates exclude the number of empty-shell marriages and separations that did not go through court.
      • It is not possible to check validity of official statistics.
      • Statistics on uneployment tell us nothing about what it means to the individuals involved to be unemployed.
      • Not all statistics can be publishes as facts; for example, assault may not be reported to the police therefore not involved in statistics.

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