Structuralism: an approach focusing on the large scale social structures in which people play defined roles

Macro approaches focus on the large scale of whole societies, Micro approaches on small-scale social interactions

Correlation: 

Correlation: when two variables are related to each other but causation cannot be proved; for example ill health is related to poverty.  This is not a causal relationship because some sick people are not poor and some poor people are not sick.

Interpretivism:

Interpretivism: approaches that start at the level of the individual, focusing on small scale phenomena and usually favoring qualitative methods

Identity:

Identity: how a person sees themselves, and how others see them, for example as a girl and a student

Perspective: 

Perspective: ways of viewing social life from different points of view

Consensus:  

Consensus:  basic agreement on a set of shared values

Conflict: 

Conflict: disagreement between groups with different interests

Positivism:

Positivism: an approach to sociology based on studying society in a scientific manner

Quantitative data: 

Quantitative data: information and facts that take a numerical form

Bias:

Bias: prejudice that distorts the truth when research is influenced by the values of the researcher or by decisions taken about the research, such as sampling method

Objectivity: 

Objectivity: absence of bias, the researchers do not allow their values or feelings to influence the research

Hypothesis: 

Hypothesis: a theory or explanation at the start of research that the research is designed to test

Pilot study:

Pilot study: a small scale test of a piece of a research project before the main research

Survey population: 

Survey population: all those to whom the findings of the study will apply and from which a sample is chosen

Sampling frame: 

Sampling frame: a list of members of the population from which the sample is chosen

Generalisability: 

Generalisability: when the findings about a sample can be said to apply to a larger group of people sharing their characteristics

Random sampling: 

Random sampling: when each person has an equal chance of being selected

Stratified sample:

Stratified sample: when the sampling frame is divided, for example by gender or age

Quota sampling:

Quota sampling: deciding in advance how many people with what characteristics to involve in the research and then identifyng them

Snowballing sampling:

Snowballing sampling: when one respondent puts the researcher in contact with others

What factors does a researcher keep in mind while deciding what to research? (14)

• Their personal interests, experience and observations
• What is already known about the topic and what is not yet known
• Social changes and development – there may be something new that we know little about
• Whether funding is available; is the issue important enough to fund?
• How practical will it be to do the research; will it be possible to identify and contact respondents?
• What ethical issues are raise by this topic?

Ethical issues:

Ethical issues: issues that have a moral dimension, such as when harm or distress may be caused to the participants

Questionnaires: 

Questionnaires: a standardized list of questions used in social surveys

Social surveys:

Social surveys: the systematic collection of information from a sample, usually involving a questionnaire or structured interviews

Open, closed and pre-coded questionnaires: 

Open, closed and pre-coded questionnaires: Closed or pre coded questions are those where the researcher has set out which responses can be recorded.  In open questions the respondent can reply freely in their own words to give their responses.

Respondent: 

Respondent: someone who provides information to researchers, usually used for surveys and interviews rather than other methods

Qualitative data:

Qualitative data: information and facts (like attitudes or kinds of actions) that are not to able to be presented in numerical form.

Self-completion questionnaires: 

Self-completion questionnaires: questionnaires that are completed by the respondent on their own, with the researcher not present

Postal questionnaires: 

Postal questionnaires: self completion questionnaires that are sent out and returned by post

Response rate:

Response rate: the proportion of responses obtained out of a sample

Structured interviews:

Structured interviews: an interview in which the questions are standardized (the same questions asked in the same order) and the replies codified to produce quantitative data

Telephone questionnaires:

Telephone questionnaires: when the researcher reads the questions to a respondent over the telephone and records their answers

Open, closed and pre-coded questionnaires:

Open, closed and pre-coded questionnaires: closed or pre-coded questions are those where the researcher has set out which responses can be recorded. In open questions the respondent can reply freely in their own words to give their responses

Reliability: 

Reliability: when the research can be repeated and similar responses will be obtained

Validity:

Validity: when the findings accurately reflect the reality that it’s is intended to capture

Unstructured Interviews:

Unstructured Interviews: an interview without set questions that usually involves probing into emotions and attitudes, leading to qualitative data

Semi-structured interviews:

Semi-structured interviews: an interview with some standardized questions but allowing the researcher some flexibility on what is asked in what order

Focus group:

Focus group: a group brought together to be interviewed on a particular topic (the focus); a special type of group interview.

Group Interview:

Group Interview: any interview involving a group interviewed together

Interviewer Bias:

Interviewer Bias: intentional or unintentional effect of the way that the interviewer asks questions or interprets answers

Interviewer effect:

Interviewer effect: ways in which an interviewer may influence participants’ responses, by their characteristics or appearance or by verbal cues such as facial expressions and tone of voice.