identify limitation
Why has this limitation
Why this is a limitation (validity)
Make a point
Explain the point
Select material
Say why material supports the point
Evaluate the view that quantitative research methods have more strengths than limitations.
| Example | Strengths | Limitations | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary data | |||
| Secondary data | |||
| - official statistics | Durkheim | ||
| - personal documents, digital content and media sources | Pearson | ||
| Qualitative data | REPLICATE | ||
| - overt participant observation | |||
| • Participant as observer | Venkatesh, Hawthorne | Diff | |
| - covert participant observation | Goffman, Ward | Diff • getting out & ethical | |
| - non-participant observation | * | Ethical consent, Detail | |
| - unstructured interviews | Not predetermining the importance | Time Standardise reliable Control | |
| - semi-structured interviews | Discover true meaning at depth | Time Standardise reliable Skill | |
| - group interviews | Control pace Realistic social life no island | Skill Representativeness Groupthink | |
| Quantitative data | |||
| - questionnaires | Representativeness | ||
| - structured interviews | Anonymity | ||
| - experiments (2 examples) | • Rosenthal & Jacobson (field) | ||
| • Zimbardo, Milgram | |||
| - content analysis | Page, Meehan |
| PERVERT | |
|---|---|
| Practical | Ward |
| Ethical | Zimbardo, Milgram |
| Reliability | Durkheim |
| Validity | Goffman |
| Enough | Venkatesh |
| Representative | Sampling techniques |
| Theoretical |
Evaluate the use of qualitative interview methods in sociological research
deciding on research strategy. Why choose a topic?
⬇️
formulating research questions and hypotheses
⬇️
【sampling frames】, 【sampling】representative→generalisation
⬇️
sampling techniques
(Random, systematic, stratified random, stratified quota, nonrepresentative, opportunity (best opportunity, snowball))
pilot studies, 2 uses
⬇️
【operationalisation】convert
⬇️
conducting research