Methods of Sociological Enquiry overview quiz - WJEC A-Level Sociology quiz

Data that already exists, collected by someone else for another purpose

Data the researcher collects first-hand for their own research purpose

Data that is always numerical and analysed using statistics

Data drawn only from government and official sources

A questionnaire designed by the researcher

A structured interview conducted by the researcher

Official statistics collected by the government

Participant observation carried out by the researcher

Qualitative data

Quantitative data

Ethical data

Covert data

Interpretivism

Positivism

Postmodernism

Feminism

Large representative samples and statistical correlations

The meanings people give to their actions (verstehen)

Repeatable, standardised and reliable measurements

Official data that can be generalised to the population

Whether a method gives a true, authentic picture of what it claims to measure

Whether a study can be repeated and produce the same results

Whether the sample reflects the wider population accurately

Whether the research gained the informed consent of participants

Whether the findings can be generalised to the wider population

Whether the method gives a true picture of social reality

Whether the method, if repeated, would produce the same results

Whether the research avoided causing harm to participants

It ensures the research is interesting to read

It allows the findings to be generalised to the wider population

It guarantees the research is completely free of any bias

It removes the need to consider ethics in the study

Whether the data is quantitative or qualitative

Whether the method is positivist or interpretivist

Whether informed consent was gained from participants

Whether the sample was selected at random

Random sampling

Stratified sampling

Quota sampling

Snowball sampling

It produces deep, rich qualitative data about meanings

It is highly reliable and can reach large, representative samples

It guarantees high validity in every situation

It removes all ethical concerns from the research

A structured questionnaire

An unstructured interview

Official statistics

A structured interview

Justify the choice of method and sample

Memorise the names of every famous sociologist

Avoid mentioning any ethical issues

Use only secondary data in every case

Only the personal preference of the researcher

The aim, the topic and the group being studied

Whichever method is the cheapest available

The length of the final written report

Positivists reject quantitative methods entirely

Positivists favour quantitative methods for their reliability and patterns

Positivists only ever use participant observation

There is no link between approach and method choice

Apply validity, reliability, representativeness and ethics to its specific details

List every research method that exists in sociology

Praise the research without identifying any weaknesses

Ignore the scenario and write a general essay on methods