Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Factors influencing the choice of methods- - Coggle Diagram
Factors influencing the choice of methods-
Practical issues
Time and money-
different methods require different amount of time and money
Well-known sociologists have more access to more resources
Requirements of funding bodies -
research institutes/businesses that provide the funding might want the data in a certain form ~ sociologists need to choose research method that supports this
govt. department find out about pass rates= need qualitative data
Personal skills/characteristics-
sociologists have different personal skills that affect if they are able to use certain research methods
~participant observation=need to mix in with groups
in-depth interviews= need to be able to build a rapport
Subject matter-
may be hard to study a group by one method or another
male sociologists difficult to participate in participant observation with all females
Research opportunity-
opportunity might come unexpectedly and sociologist might not have time to prepare their research method
~questionnaire longer to prepare than participant observation
Ethical issues-
moral issues of right and wrong
Informed consent -
research participants should be able to refuse to be involved -asked at the start
researcher needs to tell them relevant aspects of research to make informed decision
Confidentiality/privacy-
should keep identity and personal information to prevent possible negative effects- all kept confidential
Harm to research participants-
need to be aware of side effects of their work
on those they study
researchers should anticipate and prevent
Vulnerable groups-
special care should be taken when participants are vulnerable-age, disability,mental health
~studying a school=consent of child/parent
Covert research-
identity is hidden to those they are researching-seen as deceiving/lying in order to gain people trust/information
However, can be justified when gaining access to dangerous/powerful groups
Methodological perspective-
view of what society is like and how it should be studied
Positivists-
prefer quantitative data=patterns of behaviour, sociology as science
-society has an objective factual reality
-society exerts influence over other, shaping behaviour patterns
-use quantitative data to measure behaviour
-seek to discover scientific laws of cause/effect that determine behaviour
-prefer questionnaires/structured interviews=reliable and representative
Theoretical issues-
questions about what we think society is like (is it similar/accurate)
Validity-
method that produces true/accurate picture of what something actually is- researcher closer to truth
participant observation=provides truthful account
Reliability-
replica-same results when another research method is used
Physics/chemistry=repeat experiment to see if results reliable
Representativeness-
whether the people we are studying is in a particular cross-section
wider population=generalisations
Interpretivists-
prefer qualitative data and seek to understand social actor meanings-sociology cannot be seen as science
-society=constructed through meaning we create with our interactions
-actions based on meanings we give to situations (not product of external forces)
-qualitative data to uncover/describe social actors universe of meaning
-seek to gain understanding of actors meanings
-prefer participant observation=valid