AS methods and theory

What is primary data?

• Data about the age of children at primary school

• Information that has been collected by the researcher, personally

• Official statistics

• Information that already exists in some form.

What is secondary data?

• Information that has been personally colllected by the researcher

• Data that includes official statistics, personal letters and diaries aswell as previous research by other sociologists.

• Official statistics

• Data that already exists in some form and that has not been personally collected by the researcher.

Advantages of using secondary data include the following:

• You can save time, money and effort

• You can use secondary data for historical and comparative purposes.

• Some forms of secondary data, like official statistics are highly reliable

• Secondary data is always produced with the needs of sociologists in mind.

What is a correlation?

• A relation who is twice removed, like a cousin

• A causal connection between two or more variables where one factor is proposed to have had a definite effect on another factor.

• A statistical relationship between two or more variables that expresses a level of probability. A high positive correlation suggests a strong probability of a relationship.

• A statistical connection with a high level of probability which ensures with some certainty a positive relationship.

What are some of the strengths of quantitative data?

• It can be useful to make comparisons of data across categories and over time

• As Matveev (2002) argues, quantitative data is more reliable.

• Statistical comparisons can test whether a hypothesis is true or false

• Quantitative data allows us to gain an understanding of people's motivations for behaviour.

What is qualitative data?

• Data which includes correlations and causations

• Non-numerical data that expresses the quality of a relationship

• It includes, meanings, feelings and interpretations

• Good quality explanations

Why is qualitative data useful for capturing the meaning of people's behaviour?

• Small groups of respondents may not be representative of anything other than themselves.

• Qualitative data can provide detailed, in-depth data

• Researchers can record complex reasons for behaviour and the results are more likely to show the richness of people's lives.

• The researcher can ask the respondent questions about how people understand and interpret their own behaviour.

What reasons are there for a researcher undertaking a pilot study?

• To meet the respondents and start to establish a rapport

• To find flaws with the study and improve the research design.

• To initiate contact and save money

• To test out the research hypothesis prior to the study

What are some of the reasons that interpretivists reject official statistics ?

• They suggest that official statistics may not be valid

• They consider official statistics to be social constructions

• Official statistics are able to show trends and allow the research to make comparisons over time/

• Official statistics may not tell the researcher anything about underlying reasons for behaviour

Why is the specific wording of questionnaires so important in research study design?

• The wording of questions should not be ambiguous to ensure that the study is replicable

• So that the questionnaire does not lead respondents into a particular answer

• So that respondents are able to understand what the question is asking them

• So that grammar and punctuation follow the rules of standard English.