Sociology Research Methods- Key Concepts (SCLY 2)

1. Reliability

A method of research is said to be reliable if it can be repeated and if the repeated reserch conducted under identical conditions would lead to the same result. -standerdised data.

Mc Neil said " if a method of collecting evidence is reliable, it means that anyone els using this method, or the same person using it at another time, would come up with the same results. the research could be repeated and the same results occur."

Reliability is important if generalisations are to be made.

2. Representative

Sociologists use sampling methods in order to make their reserch as representative as possible.

Sociologists cannot study everyone, it is important to make sure that the sample has the same proportions of important sociol characteristics as the target population being studied.

Mc Neil said " wheather the group of people or the situation that we are studying are typical of others, we can generalise from the sample we have studied.

3. Generalisability

Generalising from a sample is an important aim of representatives and having a representative sample is a way of making sure that reserch is generalisble.

The extent to which finfings can be applied to wider target population.

Devine & Health said " the degree to which one can say with confidence that the findings from one setting are…