why do sociologists conduct research
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Why do sociologists conduct research? Identify the key differences between qualitative and quantitative research methods? And positivist and interpretivist research methods?
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If you were going to conduct a research project and choose quantitative research methods identify
the numerous methods you could use and say whether your research would be primary or
secondary.
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If you were going to conduct a research project and choose qualitative research methods identify
the numerous methods you could use and say whether your research would be primary or
secondary
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Using the template/grid below draw a map/diagram illustrating the numerous influences which
decide which method social researchers choose to use:
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Influences on the choice of research method used by sociologists
Identify the key difference between positivist and interpretivist research methods (make certain you
use the terms qualitative and quantitative in your answer)
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Identify the differences between primary and secondary data
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Provide some examples of some existing primary research conducted in schools
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Using the templates below identify the advantages and disadvantages of qualitative secondary
sources:
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The advantages of qualitative secondary sources are:
The advantages of qualitative secondary sources are:
The disadvantages of qualitative secondary sources are:
Using the templates below identify the advantages and disadvantages of quantitative secondary
sources:
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The advantages of quantitative secondary sources are:
The advantages of quantitative secondary sources are:
The disadvantages of quantitative secondary sources are:
The disadvantages of quantitative secondary sources are:
What is the experimental (laboratory) method of research?
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What are the advantages of the laboratory method?
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What are the problems associated with the experimental method?
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What is the relationship between the Hawthorne effect and the experimental method?
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What are field experiments?
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Why was the Comparative method useful in Durkheim’s study of suicide?
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Different Sampling Methods - Complete the following grids and provide an example for each section
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Systematic sampling is:________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Systematic sampling is:________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Stratified random sampling is:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Stratified random sampling is:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Quota sampling is:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Quota sampling is:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Snowball sampling is____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Snowball sampling is____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Random sampling is:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Random sampling is:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Imagine you are going to conduct some research in your 6th Form about the quality of 6th Form
teaching in your school. You know there are 300 students studying at AS and A2 level.
Why is it vital you carry out a pilot study before embarking on such a project? Identify two aspects
you’d have to test-out before conducting your actual research.
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a) What would be a representative sample from this number of students (please explain your
answer) and which would be the most appropriate sample method to use (please justify
your choice) and could you create a sample frame?
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Multistage or cluster sampling is:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Multistage or cluster sampling is:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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For the same project identify as many ethical issues you would have to address while conducting and
preparing for research project in a school?
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Again referring to the above project, which research method would you choose to use and identify
why your choice improves reliability?
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Finally once you have conducted your research would your findings be valid considering your sample
size and sample method? What is the relationship between representativeness, validity and
generalization and why is this relationship important to your project?
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Do questionnaires collect qualitative or quantitative data? Provide evidence to support your answer.
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When designing either open-ended (unstructured) or closed (pre-coded or structured)
questionnaires you need to consider several important issues when designing them, these are:
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When designing a questionnaire I need to consider the following pointsWhen designing a questionnaire I
need to consider the following points
Below are the strengths and weaknesses of pre-coded (closed) questionnaires:
Strengths Weaknesses
Below are the strengths and weaknesses of open-ended (unstructured) questionnaires:
Strengths Weaknesses
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What are postal questionnaires and what is the normal method of delivery and collection?
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What are the advantages/disadvantages of postal questionnaires?
Strengths Weaknesses
Now you are going to conduct some research in your 6th Form. Your project’s aim is to find out if 6th Form teachers ‘label’ students. You know there are 300 students studying at AS and A2 level and you have decided to use closed -questionnaires for your social survey. You now need to design a closed-questionnaire with ten questions related to the aim, your questionnaire is going to use the ‘scaling-method’ for respondents’ responses. Once you’ve designed your questionnaire you need to conduct a pilot study. Overleaf is a grid to help you address all the issues you might face. Fill this grid so you make sure you address all the issues before you conduct your pilot study.
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Theoretical considerations:
Position of the researcher
Issues of reliability and validity
Type of data required
Practical considerations:
Cost
Time
Access to respondents
Sample size and type
Ethical considerations (particularly in a school):
CRB check
Rights of respondents
Anonymity
Confidentiality
Disclosure/publication
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Now conduct your pilot study. Once completed make any necessary alterations to your
questionnaire.
In the grid below identify all the possible research methods open to sociologists and select which are
qualitative and qualitative.
Quantitative Qualitative
What are structured interviews?
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Identify the strengths and weaknesses of structured interviews
Strengths Weaknesses
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Where and why might you use a structured interview rather than a pre-coded questionnaire?
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What are unstructured interviews?
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Identify the strengths and weaknesses of unstructured interviews
Strengths Weaknesses
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Where and why might you use an unstructured interview rather than a pre-coded questionnaire or
structured interview? Of the three which is seen as the most reliable?
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Imagine you are going to conduct the same research project examining labelling by teachers in an
inner city school. The majority of the school’s pupils are from ethnic minorities. You have decided to
conduct a number of open interviews with a sample of Year 11 students who are all taught by
teachers who are all white. Identify several ways interviewer bias might affect the validity of social
research?
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How might you overcome this interviewer bias?
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What is the difference between participant and non-participant observation?
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Identify the strengths and weaknesses of participant observation
Strengths Weaknesses
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Identify the strengths and weaknesses of non-participant observation
Strengths Weaknesses
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You’ve decided to observe teachers in a classroom setting to see if they label students in lessons. In
order to decided which is the best observational method to use you are going to conduct a pilot
study to see which the best method is. How will you record what you observe? What ethical
problems will you face with each method?
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Identify the ways triangulation helps social researchers.
Methods combined Examples21
Why do some sociologists conduct longitudinal studies?
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Why are case studies and life histories useful to social researchers?
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