Summary Research methods and researching social inequality
with questions and answers
8 pages
Checkpoint, clear
facts which get to the point, broken down and summarised into a quick easy and
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sociologists,
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Paper 2
Researc...
Explain the difference between reliability and validity.
Reliability refers to the truth worthiness of the research, meaning that if it is reliable, other
researchers can replicate it by using the same research methods.
Validity refers to achieving a true picture during the research. Truthful participants during
the research results in the data being high in validity
Explain why the concepts of representativeness and
generalisability are related.
Representativeness refers to selecting a sample of people who are representive of the wider
population, this links to generalisation as that refers to the samples being of a typical cross-
section, meaning that behaviour and attitudes must be typical of wider population.
Explain two features of positivist sociological research.
Positivist sociological research takes a macro approach during research and aims to achieve
value freedom, they view society's behaviour as predictable and should be viewed as objects
and measured in the same ways as natural phenomena such as weather and chemicals, this
is distinguished by Durkheim as 'social facts' Positivists sociological research also uses and
values qualitative data, as it can be converted into graphical information which can observe
patterns and trends, establish cause and effect of relationships and deduce 'facts' about
human behaviour.
09/04
Explain the difference between quantitative and qualitative data.
Quantitative = statistical or numerical that can be converted into tabular or graphical
information. Their data has comparative value as it can be observed for patterns, trends,
correlations and so on. It can be used to establish relationships in order to deduce 'facts'
about human behaviour
Qualitative data refers to data preferred by interpretivist sociologists, the data often comes
from word rather than numerical form. It can be regarded as richer in detail and validity.
Usually presented in word format, being quoted by an interview transcript. Positivists view
this type of data as unreliable.
In what ways can researcher imposition undermine research
findings?
Interpretivists can be undermined by research imposition in findings as they have closed
questions or they may chose particular questions with answers already mapped out, hence
why this method is seen as unreliable to positivists as the researchers bias is implemented
within the questions.
Positivists can also suffer from research imposition as methods such as questionnaires and
structured interviews are artificial and alien which results in people feeling threatened by
the researcher and may give false or inauthentic answers.
, kim at 15/04
Define the concept of reflexivity.
Favoured by interpretivists and refers to the process which sociologists periodically review
the degree objectivity they have achieved in their research. Reflexivity also refers to the
observer cross checking their interpretation with those being researched to make sure that
researcher and those being researched agree on what is happening
Explain two ways in which positivists collect sociological data.
Quantative data - through questionnaires and structured interviews. They also rely on
official documents, public documents, and historical documents
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