Research methods

•  Sociological research involves systematically collecting and analysing information. The term data is often used for information gathered as part of a research project.

• Believe sociology to be a science- should be studied.

-society should be studied on a macro (large scale)- focuses on how society works together as one, ignores individual feelings/

-There are objective social facts (these exists outside of the individual, but have an effect on their behaviour)

- These facts can be measured scienitifcally e.g.poverty/crime

-These facts can be researched and expressed through stats.

-Positivists favour quantitative methods (Prouduce quantiative data)

-You can look for patterns/trends e.g.poverty and crime

-Looking at these correlations, casual relationships can be established(e.g. watching violent tv programmes can lead to violence)

examples of positivists - Durkheim, Comte

Society shapes the individual- human behaviour is governed by external factors.

• Believe sociology can be 'value free' meaning the researcher does not let their values interfere with the process. Meaning sociology can be OBJECTIVE.

- possible to establish laws of human behaviour (true for all humans)

Favour methods:

Questionnaires- can be carried out on a large scale, easy to quanitify data

offical stats- Can be analysed/compared and casual relationships can be established.

- Does not view sociology as a science

-society should be studied on micro (small scale)- intepretivists seek to explain what and how people think

-sociology can't be value free- impossible to be objective.

Individual shapes society

- To understand human behaviour, we must view the world through their eyes (versehen)

-People give meaning to their own behaviour and the behaviour of others.

-To understand human behaviour, we must discover and intepret the meanings and definitions- which guides human action.

- Tend to favour qualitiative methods such as in depth unstructured interviews and participant oberservation as they provide depth and insight.

These are the only situable methods for discovering how and why individuals behave the way way they do.

GANG LEADER FOR A DAY

•Access

•Time

•Cost

•Personal characteristics

•Data recording

•Preparation

-Anonymity

Informed consent 

Confidentiality

Gatekeeper

•Validity: Data is valid if it presents a true and accurate description/picture. 

•Reliability: Data is reliable when different researchers using the same methods obtain the same results. 

•Representativeness: a sample is representative when what is typical of the sample is typical of the population from which it is drawn.

•Generalisability: is it possible to apply the findings of sociological research to the rest of the population.