This is a table of all of the relevant research methods for AQA A Level Sociology listing their practical, ethical, and theoretical advantages and disadvantages as well as examples.
Method: Advantages: Disadvantages: Example:
Questionnaires -Quick and efficient to -Format makes it difficult to -Sullivan (2001)
contact a large sample explore complex issues in -465 pupils across 4 schools
group depth, lowering the validity -Knowledge of cultural capital
-Easier to gain a -The researcher can never be -Middle class had more
representative sample sure who actually filled it in,
making it possible to reducing the validity
generalise -Can’t tell if respondent has
-Standardised and understood the question –
replicable making it more reducing validity. Different
reliable interpretations
-Easy to spot and identify -Response rate is very low
patterns limiting the representativeness
-Low in researcher bias as and making it hard to
they are not present to generalise findings (self-
influence the respondent selecting sample)
-Respondents may be -Best to avoid this method
honest when self- with sensitive issues
completing which increases -Loaded and leading questions
the validity reduce the objectivity –
-Obvious that research is imposition problem
taking placing so informed -Closed questions less valid
consent isn’t an issue than open questions
Structured -Efficient method to -Right-answerism and front -Eccles – University of
Interviews interview a large stage behaviour (professional Michigan
representative sample that setting) -200 parents about words they
can be generalised -More difficult to find willing associated with boys and girls
-Respondents asked same participants than with a -Found parents enforce gender
questions so they are questionnaire stereotypes
standardised and replicable -More time consuming for the
– reliability researcher especially if sample
-Easy to explain the process is very large
and guarantee their rights -The interviewer cannot
-Face-to-face improves add/subtract/modify/expand
validity; clarify questions on questions which limits the
and answers detail and validity of responses
-Can be used to identify
respondents whose views
can be explored in more
detail
-Easy to spot trends and
patterns
, Semi- -Complex questions and -Requires more training and -Louise Archer
Structured issues can be clarified skill from the interviewer -Feminine identities at school
Interviews -Interviewer can probe -Interviewer may give out -Found peer pressure main
areas in response to the unconscious signals that guide reason
answer increasing depth, the respondent to give -Not generalisable
richness, and validity particular answers – damages
-Informed consent can objectivity and validity
protected rights can be -More time consuming and
guaranteed expensive – this will limit the
-Space and facilities easy to representativeness and the
come by ability to generalise findings
-Not very reliable – difficult to
repeat and non-standardised
Unstructured -No pre-judgement of what -Requires more training and 1.Labov
Interviews will be discussed or what is skill from the interviewer -Language of black American
important – reducing bias -Interviewer may give out students
and increasing validity unconscious signals that guide -Gained more info from this
-People able to talk much the respondent to give method than structured
more in depth increasing particular answers – damages interviews
the validity objectivity and validity 2. Sue Sharpe
-Informed consent can -More time consuming and -Girls in 1970s and 1994
protected rights can be expensive – this will limit the -Marriage -> Career
guaranteed representativeness and the 3. Gewirtz
-Can code with indicators to ability to generalise findings -14 schools in London
make interpreting research -Not very reliable – difficult to -Wealthy parents had more
easier repeat and non-standardised educational capital
-Space and facilities easy to -Amount of information may 4. Ann Oakley (1981)
come by be difficult to process and -Spoke about her own
analyse experience
-Grounded theory -Allowed for real depth
-Allows for verstehen through establishing rapport
-Questions can end up being 5. Dobash and Dobash (1979)
traumatic (secondary -Violence against wives
victimisation) -Power dynamic
-Secondary victimisation
Structured -Reliable data that can be -Lack of validity: counting -Flanders Interaction Analysis
Observation replicated in different occurrences does not give Category
places and by different depth of meaning -Predetermined categories at 3
researchers -Very intensive method to second intervals
-Quantitative data that can carry out -Found teacher talking
be compared -Events may overlap different dominated class time
categories
-Only useful for small scale
studies
Overt -The researcher is being -Hawthorne effect will affect -Lacey
Participant honest the behaviour of respondents -18 months in school
Observation and damage the validity -Went on trips etc.
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