Research methods
Define quantitative data.
Quantitative data is in numerical form - this can be statistics, numbers, graphs, figures, etc.
Define quota sampling
Quota sampling is having a specific agenda of how many people from each target population you require in your research. (e.g 10 women over 20)
Define primary socialisation
It is the process of learning basic norms and values of society - it occurs in the first five years of a young person’s life. The main agent is family.
Define a questionnaire.
It is a set of questions that are given to participants when research is being conducted. It can be done online or in person. Both qualitative and quantitative data can be collected.
What is a hypothesis?
Define validity.
Truthful reflection of society - if research is valid, it is true.
Define sampling
Researching a group of people, e.g. researching students between the ages of 15-16 and asking whether the education system is beneficial to them.
How can school influence our daily lives?
It can shape our daily schedule and give us the knowledge that we need
Give an advantage of using covert observation.
Example: Respondents will act naturally because they are unaware
Define interviewer effect.
When the participant is influenced by the presence of the interviewer, causing them to give untruthful responses.
Define primary data
Data that is collected by the researcher themselves.
What is opportunity sampling?
Opportunity sampling (convenience sampling) is when you use people near you (e.g. school) to question them.
Name 3 secondary socialisation
Mass media
Religion
Workplace
Education
Or others
What is an interview schedule?
The list of questions a researcher asks their participants.
What is right to withdraw?
The participants must be made aware that they are able to drop out at any time.
Are witness reports reliable/valid?
No, as the witness can change how the events unfolded
Give an advantage of snowball sampling
Example: it is convenient and saves time
Name the six agents of secondary socialisation.
Family, Education, Religion, Media, Peer group, Workplace
Define rapport.
It is when the researcher and the participant/s have built a connection
What is Marxism?
Marxism is in an ideology that supports distribution of wealth amongst the working class and believes the notion that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
What is triangulation in research?
Using multiple research methods in one study (e.g questionnaires, interviews, observations) to achieve reliability, validity and representativeness.
What is the meaning of generalisability?
Generalisability is having a wider demographic/ target population and taking some participants from them and making a smaller sample group.
What is a feral child?
A child who has not received proper primary socialisation so deviates from the norms and values of society.
Define observation and give an example
A research method which involves watching social life as it happens in social groups’ natural environment and everyday life
What was the Tearoom Trade?
It was a sociological research project conducted by Laud Humphreys to investigate homosexual interactions between men in public bathrooms.