Introduction to Research Methods

AS Sociology

So what is research methods about?

The key concept when looking at research methods is to determine the ways in which sociologist go about developing theories.

A theory is a general explanation of how and why social life follows the patterns it does.

A good theory in sociology is one that explains patterns using evidence.

What will you get from this unit?

Quantitive and qualitative methods of research including their strengths and limitations as well as the various research designs,

Sources of data which includes questionnaires, interviews, participant and non participant observations, as well as experiments, documents, official statistics which you will evaluate in order to determine their strengths and limitations.

What will you get from this unit?

The distinction between primary and secondary data, between quantitative and qualitative data.

The relationship between positivism, interpretivism and sociological methods; the nature of “social facts”,

The theoretical, practical and ethical consideration influencing of topic, choice of methods and the conduct of research.

A visual introduction...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkEIMMfmSyQ

Group Task On your table

group complete page one of your introduction to research methods workbook.

Challenge yourself: How did you come to your conclusions ?

Primary and Secondary Data

Primary Data: information collected by sociologist themselves for their own purpose, in order to get a 1st hand picture of a group, society or even to test a hypothesis.

Hypothesis: an untested theory

Primary Data

Social surveys,

Participant observations,

Experiments

So primary data

Costly Time consuming

Enables sociologist to gather exactly the information that they seek.

Secondary Data Secondary data:

information that has been collected or created by someone else for their own purpose but which another sociologist can use.

1. Official statistics,

2. Documents

So secondary data

Conflicting interest between those using it,

May not necessarily produce the information you might be after,

Quick, Cheap,

Individual task Complete page 2

of your introduction to research method workbook.

Quantitative and Qualitative Data

Quantitative data: refers to data in numerical form (official statistics on GCSEs result),

Qualitative data: refers to data which gives researchers a feel for what something is like (giving someone a idea of what it would feel like to be part of a certain group)

Note the definition on your RM workbook

Factors influencing choice of methods

Different methods and sources of data have different strengths and weaknesses and we need to be able to evaluate these when selecting which to use.

Key question: How do we select the right research method?

Practical Issues

Issues in terms of practicality when

looking at the research methods.

Practical Issues

1. Time and Money, 2. Requirements of funding bodies, 3. Personal skills and characteristics4. Subject matter, 5. Research opportunity

Ethical Issues

Issues of right and wrong which are

supported through ethical code set by various agencies

Ethical issues

Informed consent, Confidentiality, Privacy, Effects in research participants, Vulnerable groups, Covert research,

Theoretical Issues

Questions about what society is like and

whether our research can obtain true and realistic picture of

society

Theoretical Issues

Validity, Reliability, Representativeness, Methodological

perspective

Methodological perspective

Sociologist choice of method is also influenced by their perspectives (their view of what society is like and how we should study it)

Two contrasting choice of methods:1. Positivism, 2. Interpretivism

Positivist Vs Interpretivist

Prefer quantitative data,

Seek to discover patterns of behaviour,

Sees sociology as a science thus it can be studied scientifically

Prefer qualitative data,

Seek to understand social actors meaning,

Rejects the view that sociology is a science

Choice of topic

Sociologist before choosing a research

methods to use, sociologist must decide

on a topic.

Choice of topic

Theoretical perspectives,

Society’s values,

Funding bodies,

Practical factors