Do now!Complete the keywords test on the sheet.

Remember that you are not writing 4 mark answers – just concise definitions (like in the book).

You need 9/15 to pass (C)15 minutes

End

Research continued – planning your Research continued – planning your projectproject

Date:Date: Friday, April 21, 2023

Lesson Outcomes:Lesson Outcomes:

• RecallRecall the stages of a the stages of a sociological research sociological research projectproject• DescribeDescribe the the difference between open, difference between open, closed & graded closed & graded response questions (& response questions (& analyse the importance)analyse the importance)• CreateCreate a questionnaire a questionnaire including open, closed & including open, closed & graded response graded response questionsquestions• EvaluateEvaluate the the advantages & advantages & disadvantages of postal disadvantages of postal questionnairesquestionnaires

Project

You are going to carry out a sociological research project over October half term. We have two weeks to prepare and plan!

Starter: What are the 6 stages of a sociological research project?

Aims/Hypothesis

Pilot studies

Selecting samples

Collecting data

Analysing data

Evaluating the project

Step 1: Your aim/hypothesis1) You have 1 minute to think of a possible research

project & write it on a post it.

2) You have 2 minutes to discuss with your partner & decide which of your ideas is better.

3) Your pair must find another pair and discuss your ideas. You have 4 minutes to decide which of your ideas is the best.

1 minute 2 minutes 4 minutes

1) Step 1: Your aim/hypothesis

You must now turn your project title into a question or theory that you will try to prove/disprove

e.g. “Older people need less sleep than younger people.”

Or “Do older people need less sleep than younger people?”

Step 2: Planning the pilot studyDesigning a questionnaire

What is a questionnaire?A list of pre-set questions to which the respondent supplies the answers.

What are the three types of questionnaires?Postal, Hand-delivered and Formal or structured interviews

What is a closed question?Respondents choose between a number of given answers, often by just ticking a box.

What is an open question?Respondents can put forward their own answers to the set questions, rather than choose a response from several pre-set answers

What is a graded response question?Respondents are asked how much they agree with questions and can record their responses on a scale e.g. 1-6

Step 2: Planning the pilot studyDesigning a questionnaire

Task

Draft a questionnaire for your sociological research project.

You must have a mix of open, closed & graded response questions.

Step 2: Carrying out the pilot study

It is important to test your questionnaire on a small group of people to check that your questions are:

• clear

• mean the same to everyone

• give you the kind of responses you were expecting

Evaluating QuestionnairesAdvantages Disadvatages

Evaluating Questionnaires

Advantages Disadvanatges

Cheap, quick & efficient way of obtaining large amounts of information from large numbers of people

Difficult & time consuming to design

Respondents may be more willing to answer personal questions as the interviewer is not present

Respondents may misunderstood the questions being asked – cannot answer the interviewer.

Closed questions provide quantitative data. This data can be compared easily.

Respondent may not fully complete the question.

If respondents answer the questions differently then it shows real differences of opinion.

You can’t be sure the correct person has completed it.

Can be replicated easily. Unsuitable for some populations such as homeless.

Do not allow respondents to develop their answers if closed questions.

Response rate is usually low.

Planning your project continued - Planning your project continued - InterviewsInterviews

Date:Date: Friday, April 21, 2023

Lesson Outcomes:Lesson Outcomes:

•DescribeDescribe what is what is meant by longitudinal & meant by longitudinal & cross-sectional studies & cross-sectional studies & be able to be able to explainexplain when when each would be each would be appropriateappropriate•DescribeDescribe the difference the difference between structured, between structured, unstructured and semi-unstructured and semi-structured interviewsstructured interviews

Starter: Why is triangulation of data important?

Step 2: Planning the pilot studySocial surveys aim to collect information from a large number of people through questionnaires and structured interviews.

There are two main types of social surveys: -• Longitudinal surveys• Cross sectional surveys

A longitudinal study aims to gather information from the same group over time, at regular intervals or stages. Examples included:-

The 7Up programme, which first aired on ITV in 1964, followed a group of children every seven years.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w09D-aosxTQ

A cross-sectional survey is done only once. It takes a cross section of the population and asks them about a particular issue only once.

Example: The National Foundation for Educational Research carried out a survey into teachers perceptions of the new 14-19 diploma.

Types of interviewStructured/formal: Similar to a questionnaire where

the questions are asked by the interviewer

Unstructured/informal: the interviewer has a topic but does not pre-set the questions and is guided by the answers given

Semi-structured: the interviewer has some pre-set questions but allows flexibility to ask additional questions depending on the answers given.

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

Step 2: Planning the pilot study1) You have 2 minutes to write down questions that you would like

to ask for your interview.

2) With your partner, you have 2 minutes each to carry out a formal (structured)) interview (role playing the character).

3) Now you have 2 minutes each to carry out a semi-structured interview.

2 minutes 2 minutes 2 minutes

Finalising the pilot studyFinalising the pilot study

Date:Date: Friday, April 21, 2023

Lesson Outcomes:Lesson Outcomes:

• EvaluateEvaluate the the advantages and advantages and disadvantages of using disadvantages of using structured, semi-structured, semi-structured & structured & unstructured interviews.unstructured interviews.• ConcludeConclude which which methods would be most methods would be most appropriate for own appropriate for own sociological researchsociological research

Starter: Explain what sociologists mean by “interviews”. (4 marks)

Homework:

Carry out one structured interview and one unstructured interview (two different people) on any topic of your choice (not your research topic).

You must take notes of your interview.

Write a paragraph comparing the responses from the two different types of interviews.

TIF: Were there any other factors affecting your responses e.g. age, sex, location?

Structured or formal interviewsAdvantages Disadvantages

Structured or formal interviewsAdvantages Disadvantages

Can see differences between answers easily

Interviewer bias - Respondent may lie to impress or shock the interviewer

Provides statistical data which can be compared easily

Interviewer bias - Respondent may not tell the truth as the information is too personal

Can be repeated easily to check reliability

Interviewer bias – interviewer may influence the answers

Interviewer can clarify meaning of questions

Age, gender, bias, ethnicity, etc of interviewer may influence the respondent’s response

Unstructured interviewsAdvantages Disadvantages

Unstructured interviewsAdvantages Disadvantages

More flexible Time consuming

Can clarify misunderstandings Expensive

Answers can be developed fully Need a skilled interviewer

Provide more in depth information Interviewer bias

Interviewer can ask leading questions

Difficult to repeat

Can do fewer interviewers therefore sample is smaller – difficult to say findings apply to general population

By the end of this lesson you must have in your book:

1) Your finalised questionnaire including open, closed & graded response questions.

2) A paragraph explaining whether your interviews will be structured, unstructured or semi-structured and why. (and a list of questions if necessary)