Tools and Techniques in Social Research UK UAE AUSTRALIA EUROPE (1)

1. TOOLSAND TECHNIQUESIN SOCIALRESEARCH AnAcademicpresentationby Dr.NancyAgnes,Head,TechnicalOperations,TutorsIndia Groupwww.tutorsindia.com Email:info@tutorsindia.com

2. Today'sOutline Introduction ToolsandTechniquesforSocialResearch QuestionnaireDevelopment Conclusion

3. Introduction Researchwithinsocialsciencesisdeemed as a procedurethatenquiresintoissueswhicharesocial in nature and social challenges that are known to existwithinanygivensociety. New knowledge is being gained with the help of researchintosocialsciencesand thereby,novel informationisbeingacquiredviascientificaswellas systematicprocesses.

5. Social science research would refer to a step-by- stepmethodofacquiringnewinformationonany social topic that makes an impact on people withinsociety. Researchinsocialsciencesprovidesnewinsights intosocialoccurrenceswhich enables researchers to get an idea of why, when, where, what and how social life is being developed and redevelopedonaday-to-daybasis.

6. On the basis of social science research the intricate mannerofsociety isbeingcomprehendedas researchinsocialsciencesoffersawarenessfor displacementor sustenanceofrealities thatare preconceived. Socialscienceresearchisastrategicprocedurethat hasbeendeployedbyresearchers tochallenge currentknowledge,onthebasisofnewfindingsthat displacepreviousknowledgeonsocialreality.

7. In the current day, social science research would pertaintoeitheranappliedorpurekindof research that offers valuable insights on social happeningsorissuesinanysociety. Thefocusofsocialresearchisonsocialaspectsof human existence and the diverse nature of social reality. Social research is deemed as a blend of ‘socialand‘research’. Therefore, social research would simply refer to researchonsociallifeandsocialissues.

8. ToolsandTechniquesfor SocialResearch The basic challenge with master in social science research techniques would be the terms that are utilized to communicate concepts that are esotericinnature.

9. Information can be collected through several ways; nonetheless, there is a limitednumberofwaystoscientificallyexecuteit. Thespiritofsocialscienceresearchcanbenarroweddowntoasingleword; empiricismorbeingempirical. Thiswouldmeansomethingthatcanbeobservedthroughsenses[4].Empirical tools to gather information would primarily be of six types and these would include;

10. Surveys Interviews FocusGroups FieldObservation Experimentation ExistingData However,gatheringinformationthroughtheabovetechniqueswarrants theneedtodevelopquestionnairesforsocialscienceresearch.

11. Questionnaire Development Designing a questionnaire for a social research surveyis not easy. A questionnaire is referred to as a tool for amassing data wherein arespondent (personwho answers the questions) offersanswerstoanarrayofquestions. Questionnaire development for gathering data would require timeandefforts.Nonetheless,byadoptingstepsoftool development in research for questionnaire development, you would be in a position to come up with effective mediums to gatherdatathatwillbehelpfultoyouintermsofansweringyour researchquestions[6].

12. Adoptingastep-by-stepapproachwouldbethebestwaytodevelopa questionnaire.Thestepsareoutlinedasunder. STEPONE–DETERMININGTHEOBJECTIVE Identifyingtheobjectiveofthequestionnaire.Youneedto decide onthekind ofinformationthatyouaredesirousofgatheringwiththequestionnaire. Developaresearchquestion.Itcouldbeoneormorenonetheless;itwillform thecruxofthequestionnaire. Develophypothesesthatwillbetestedusingthequestionnaire.

13. STEPTWO–DETERMININGTHETYPESOF QUESTIONS On the basis of the information accumulated, there would be many kinds of questions that could be added within the questionnaire, wherein, each would havetheirownadvantagesanddisadvantages. Some of the commonly used questions within a questionnaire would be; dichotomous questions, open-ended questions, multiple choice questions, rankorderquestionsandratingscalequestions.

14. STEPTHREE–DEVELOPINGQUESTIONS Questions within the questionnaire are supposed to be concise, clear and direct. This will be helpful in ensuring that you derive the most appropriate answerswhileconductingyoursocialscienceresearch.However,thequestions aresupposedtobeshortandsimple.Complicatedstatementsorjargonneed tobeavoided. STEPFOUR–QUESTIONNAIRELENGTH Keepthequestionnaireasshortasitcanbepossiblebecausealargenumber of respondents would be open to answer questionnaires that are short. Also refrain from asking unwanted questions and stick only to questions that are necessaryfortheresearch

15. STEPFIVE–WRITINGTHEQUESTIONNAIRE It is necessary that you give an introduction of the person who will be conducting the survey. Itis the onus of the interrogatortostate whether he is working alone or as a group. Further, the purpose of the research/questionnaireshouldalsobe mentionedsothatthe respondentisawarehowthedatagatheredfromhimwillbeused.

16. Conclusion for researchcanbetedious,taxing social and Questionnaire development rigorous. A weakquestionnairewould mean that it would impact the quality of yourresearch. Therefore, utmost care has to be taken during questionnairedevelopment.To makethingseasy,youcanavail questionnaireandsurveydevelopment helpthatisofferedbyprofessionals.

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