What primary methods do sociologists use to collect data?
The main primary research methods: questionnaires, interviews, observations and experiments, and the strengths and weaknesses of each for sociological research.
A focused answer on primary research methods for WJEC GCSE Sociology: questionnaires, structured and unstructured interviews, participant and non-participant observation, and experiments, with the strengths and weaknesses of each.
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What this dot point is asking
This dot point covers the main primary research methods: questionnaires, interviews, observations and experiments. You need to describe how each works and explain its strengths and weaknesses for sociological research, including the difference between structured and unstructured interviews and between participant and non-participant observation. The skill is to match each method to the kind of data it produces.
Questionnaires
Interviews
Observation
Experiments
Try this
Q1. Explain the difference between a structured and an unstructured interview. [Knowledge recall]
- Cue. A structured interview follows a fixed list of set questions, making answers easy to compare but limiting depth, while an unstructured interview is more like a guided conversation, giving rich qualitative data but being harder to compare.
Q2. Explain one weakness of using participant observation. [Short explanation]
- Cue. One weakness is that the presence of the researcher can change the group's behaviour, so people may not act naturally, and the method is also very time-consuming, which can make it hard to study many people.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
WJEC (Component 2)4 marksDescribe one strength and one weakness of using questionnaires.Show worked answer →
A describe question (AO1 and AO2). Reward one developed strength and one developed weakness.
Strength. Questionnaires can reach a large number of people quickly and cheaply, producing lots of quantitative data that is easy to compare.
Weakness. People may not answer honestly or may misunderstand questions, and there is no chance to ask follow-up questions, so the data can lack depth.
Top band. One clear strength and one clear weakness, each developed with a reason.
WJEC (Component 2)6 marksExplain the difference between participant and non-participant observation.Show worked answer →
An explain question (AO1 and AO2). Reward a developed contrast with strengths and weaknesses.
Participant observation. The researcher joins in with the group they are studying, which can give deep, real insight, but may be time-consuming and can affect the group's behaviour.
Non-participant observation. The researcher watches without joining in, which can be more detached, but may give less insight into why people behave as they do.
Top band. A clear contrast, with a strength or weakness of each.
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Sources & how we know this
- WJEC GCSE Sociology (Wales) specification (C200QS) — WJEC (2017)