Research Methods

PRIMARY - Collected by the researcher themselves i.e. experiments / surveys / observations.

Primary Advantages & Disadvantages:

• Relevant Information / Validity
• Can Control methodolgy
• TIme Consuming
• Can be costly dependant on the methods used

SECONDARY - Data collected by other people & organisations.

Secondary Advantages & Disadvantages:

• Already gathered - less time consuming
• Usually cheaper to access sometimes even free
• Information may be outdated therefore inaccurate
• Questionable wether it can be applied

QUANTITATIVE: Numerical, statistical information that is objective. Answers factual questions instead of giving reasonings.

Quantitative Advantages & Disadvantages:

• Best for representativeness and generalisability
• Broader study - greater number of subjects
• Harder to analyse and give reasonings
• Can't explore why

QUALITATIVE: Type of data that is focused around opinion, feelings and why something is happening. Complex data and harder to analyse. Subjective Data.

Qualitative Advantages & Disadvantages:

• Deatiled information that explores reasonings
• Based on human experience which gives better validity
• Longer process to analyse the data as it all varies due to subjective nature
• If not careful, researcher can have a negative impact on the results - behaviour

POSITIVSM - Theory appraoch based on natural and factual causes - idea surrounds objectivity and positivists want statistical, quantitative data that reveals the truth.

INTERPRETIVSM - Approach which tries to see explanations from sujects perspective. They want Verstehen (Meaning) and qualitative data with reasons as to why something happened. 

Preferred Research Methods: Positivist

• Quantitative
• Offical Statistics
• Social Surveys / Unstructured Interviews / Questionnaires

Preferred Research Methods: Interpretivst

• Qualitative
• Personal Documents
• Participant Observation
• Unstructured Interviews

Representative Sampling:

• Attempt to accurately sample the target population - can be generalised.

Non-Representative Sampling: 

• Stronger focus on validity over specificity, study of experiences is more important than the accuracy of the population.

Systematic Sampling:

• On a list, every nth person is picked - gets a variety of data. 

Statified Sampling:

• Divided into groups based on critea but you need to know the % of the characteristics.

Quota Sampling:

• Sampling based on proportions in UK population e.g. age / sex / income / ethnicity 

PRACTICAL INCLUDE:

• Time (How long does the study take) / Money (Funding/Costs) 
• Researcher Characteristics i.e. Does Researcher fit the group?
• Researcher Skills (Can they effectively conduct the research method)

ETHICAL INCLUDE:

• HARM - Effects on people studied / wider society / researcher.
• Legality / Immorality - Witness any illegal activity.
• Consent - Need full consent from participants.
• Anonymity - Participants identity needs to remain 

THEORETICAL INCLUDE:

• Quantitative / Qualitatitve
• Positivist / Interpretivist
• Theoretical Perspective
• Representative & Sampling / Validity / Reliability / TRIANGULATION

• Questionnaires with sets of questions that participants answer - Postal Surveys / Online / Face-To-Face Surveys. Can consist of open and close ended questions.

PRACTICAL:

• Less time consuming to conduct but could take time to construct
• Cheaper research method especially if online
• Lower response rate - increase cost as may need to send out more

ETHICAL:

• Complete privacy if it isn't face-to-face / Can't harm - Can avoid question
• No informed consent - don't know who is actually answering it which can cause harm

THEORETICAL:

• If close ended - provides facts which is positivist and quantitative
• No Verstehen - researcher imposes meaning - different to the participant

Interviews can be either structured or unstructured:                                                                            STRUCTURED: Close ended questions, same order and questions - quantitative.                        UNSTRUCTURED: Open ended questions so participant can give own opinion - qualitative.

PRACTICAL:

• Little previous knowledge required | In-depth so it's useful | Structured take less analysis
• Time, Money and Funding | Researcher Skills needed | Characteristics - Impact Answer

ETHICAL:

• Give participants informed consent - allowed to withdraw at any point - no harm
• Not full anonymity - researcher knows | Sensitive topics could cause harm.

THEORETICAL:

• High level of validity - Qualitative data (Open-ended) | If structured - Quantatitve
• Most interviews are open ended so aren't positivist and representative (Small sample)

Observations are the action or process if closely observing or monitoring something or someone   - usually monitor groups.

PRACTICAL:

• Time consuming as need to be involved with group over a span of time
• Research is much more useful
• As long period of time it'll cost more to conduct | Researcher Characteristics
• Hard to record data 

ETHICAL:

• Participants give consent as it's an overt observation
• Going Native | Harm to researcher & particpants | Illegal Activity 

THEORETICAL:

• Qualitative Data - Has verstehen - Interpretivist and larger amount of validity
• Not quantitative - Not representative as only able to study small sample

Observation whereby the researcher doesn't get involve within the activities that the participants are conducting.

COVERT = Conceals fact they are researcher - No informed Consent                                        OVERT = Particpants are informed of researchers and their intentions

PRACTICAL:

• Minimal knowledge required and the research is useful
• Takes alot of time | Costly | Still need similar characteristics

EHTICAL:

• If overt then consent if given | Benefits society
• Could harm participants | No consent is covert | Legality - Crimes reported

THEORETICAL:

• Validity as its qualitative and interpretivist - Only if covert
• Small sample - Representative? No Quantitative

Data that researchers don't gather themselves - predetermined data that has already been researched by a previous researcher.

OFFICIAL: Comes from the government and other verified sources i.e. Census.                           UNOFFICIAL: Non-verified sources such as media and diarys.

PRACTICAL:

• Less time consuming - good if can't find info | Usually free
• Needs to be current interest - is research avaliable | Is it useful to your research

ETHICAL:

• Won't harm anyone | Already consented | Didn't consent to new research

THEORETICAL:

• Can be both quant and qual/positivist or interpretivist
• Dependant on what the secondary source is - Is it representative. 

Variety of research methods to provide in-depth, longnitudinal interpretivist research. Uses more than one method i.e. obserations, interviews - brings the benefits and drawbacks with them.

PRACTICAL:

• Is useful as uses a variety of methods | Brings advantages dependant on methods
• Time consuming | Need Researcher Skills | Can be Costly

ETHICAL:

• Choice of research methods will cause the ethical advantages to vary
• Usually has an in-depth nature so harm to participants is more likely - depends on method

THEORETICAL:

• Multiple methods but focus on interpretivist methods - qualitative data
• Doesn't provide quantitative data meaning it isn't positivism