Research Methods: Part 1

A major difference between the positivists and interpretivists is that positivists

• use case studies while interpretivists use experiments

• are micro-theorists while interpretivists are macro-theorists

• use quantitative research methods while interpretivists use qualitative research methods

• study human behaviour using qualitative methods while interpretivists use quantitative methods

A sociologist who decides to research the prevalence of teenage pregnancy across various generations in a society is pursuing

• a case study

• an in-depth study

• a longitudinal study

• a cross-sectional study

Which of the following practical issues should a sociologist consider before doing research?

• Cost of research

• Time required to do research

• The availability of the information

• All of the above

When a research method is repeatedly applied and consistently produces the same results in a study, it is said to be

• valid

• reliable

• relevant

• standardised

Social researchers are often criticized for not adhering to ethical principles in research. Which of the following is NOT an ethical principle?

• Right to privacy

• Consent of the participant

• right to research

• publication of the research findings

Professor X has demanded that his class take part in his research. Non-participation will result in failure in the course. What ethical issue was breached by Professor X?

• Risk of harm

• Confidentiality

• Informed consent

• Voluntary participation

Which of the following factors influence a researcher's choice of research method?

• Amount of time available

• Availability of funds

• Researcher's expertise

• All of the above

Which of the following does NOT apply to quantitative research?

• It utilizes diaries.

• It utilizes numerical data.

• It applies statistical analysis.

• It utilizes structured interviews.

Which of the following BEST describes the use of objective procedures in sociological research?

• Intensive review

• Phenomenology

• Scientific method

• Ethnomethodology

Answer explanation

This perspective by Alfred Schutz, opposes the positivist view of sociology. It does not believe that human beings can be scientifically studied using the methods and principles of natural sciences. Phenomenology is a school of philosophy that attempts to explain social action by studying the phenomena or human experience first-hand.

The American sociologist Harold Garfinkel founded ethnomethodology in the early 1960s. This perspective emphasizes the way in which people make sense of their social world. It is said to be the study of common sense and practical reasoning. Ethnomethodology takes the view that social life appears to be orderly, when in fact it is very chaotic; social order is constructed in the minds of the individuals. According to Garfinkel, this order is achieved through a process called ‘the documentary method’. In this process, individuals, as social actors, make sense of social life by observing a set of unwritten rules that guide routine situations.