Self-Assessment Checklist Review | Studying Society Revision 2 | Research Methods | GCSE Sociology

1. Do now! Review your Self Assessment checklist from last lesson. • In the second column, complete again for bullet points 1-4. Have any changed? • Remember green tick if confident, blank if reasonably happy and red cross if concerned. • If you were not here last lesson then please complete the whole self assessment now.

3. Studying Society Revision 2 Key concepts revised today • Describe research process • Advantages & disadvantages of forms of social survey • Advantages & disadvantages of direct, participant & non-participant observation • Distinguish between primary & secondary sources of data & state advantages & disadvantages • Be aware of ethical issues that might arise as part of research process • Starter: • List as many methods of research as you can remember. • Ext: Are they quantitative or qualitative?

4. The process of research Research aims & hypothesis A theory you’re looking to prove/disprove Evaluating Did you prove/disprove your hypothesis? Carrying out a pilot study Small-scale trial run to check your questions etc Analysing the data Interpreting/making sense of the data. Making graphs etc Selecting a sample Who are you going to ask? How? Collecting the data Primary/secondary? Quantitative/qualitative?

5. Exam Practice Identify and explain one reason why sociologists use a pilot study in questionnaire-based research. (4 marks) One reason is because a pilot study often shows up mistakes or problems. For example, by piloting a questionnaire, a sociologist can check whether the wording of questions is clear to the respondents. The sociologist can also check that the questionnaire doesn’t take too long to complete. If it takes up too much time or some questions are unclear, the sociologist can change the questionnaire before sending out lots of copies.

6. Picking the questions… Open questions: Respondents can give a full answer Closed questions: Respondents choose from a small selection of answers e.g. yes/no Graded responses: Respondents grade their answers e.g. strongly agree, agree, disagree etc This will depend on whether you are looking for quantitative or qualitative data

7. Qualitative or quantitative?

8. Why might a sociologist use secondary data? Why might they prefer primary data?

9. Quantitative research – i.e. counting or measuringQuestionnaires, Surveys etc Think of an example of research that would be suited to quantitative research.

10. Qualitative research – i.e. ethnographic (whole answer rather than just statistics) • There are two main methods of qualitative research: • Observations • Interviews • (Questionnaires – open questions)

11. Observations Participant observation Non-participant observation Overt observation Covert observation Respondents do not know they are being observed. Researcher takes part in activities in order to study it e.g. joins a gang. Researcher observes from a distance e.g. observing a lesson. Respondents know they are being observed. n.b observations could also be quantitative if noting statistics

12. Observations Researcher takes part in activities in order to study it e.g. joins a gang. Participant observation Non-participant observation Overt observation Covert observation Researcher observes from a distance e.g. observing a lesson. Respondents know they are being observed. Respondents do not know they are being observed. n.b observations could also be quantitative if noting statistics

13. Each method of observation has its advantages and disadvantages… Observer can be a part of the process so can really see & experience what is going on Can be dangerous for observer Observer remains safe Observer cannot get a feel for what is happening Ethical “observer effect” means respondents may act differently Unethical Respondents act as they normally would

14. Qualitative research – i.e. observing or interviewing Think of an example of research that would be suited to qualitative research.

15. Which research method & why? • Criminal behaviour at football matches • Attitudes towards single mothers • GCSE subject choices of boys and girls • Which political parties are most popular The best research method is triangulation i.e. test the accuracy of one method by checking it against research from another method.

16. The process of research Research aims & hypothesis A theory you’re looking to prove/disprove Evaluating Did you prove/disprove your hypothesis? Carrying out a pilot study Small-scale trial run to check your questions etc Analysing the data Interpreting/making sense of the data. Making graphs etc Selecting a sample Who are you going to ask? How? Collecting the data Primary/secondary? Quantitative/qualitative?

17. Sampling – who are you going to ask? Random Stratified Systematic Quota Snowball Opportunistic

18. Sampling – who are you going to ask? Random Stratified Systematic Quota Snowball Opportunistic

19. Ethical issues Anonymity = can you ensure that no-one finds out who your respondents are? Confidentiality = can you ensure that private answers are kept private? Informed consent = do your respondents understand what they are consenting to?

20. Exam Questions – There will always be a set of questions asking you to plan a research project (e) As a sociologist, you have been asked to investigate attitudes towards citizenship education among students in a large comprehensive school. (i) Identify and explain one possible ethical issue that you might need to address while you are carrying out your research (4 marks) (ii) Identify one secondary source of information that you would use in your study and explain why you would use this source (4 marks) (iii) Identify one primary method of research that you would use in your study and explain why this method would be better than another primary method for collecting the data that you need (6 marks)