Sampling Techniques

An introduction to quantitative and qualitative data, primary and secondary sources, sampling concepts and techniques.

The Research Process

Commonsense and sociological forms of knowledge; The Hypothetico-Deductive Model of research; Concept operationalisation; Research Project organisation.

Which Method?

Very short film designed to introduce students to ideas like why we need research methods, the range of different methods available and, most importantly, how to apply our knowledge of methods to resolve different kinds of research problems.

Primary Methods 1

An overview of questionnaires, content analysis and experiments (laboratory and field).

 Primary Methods 2

An overview of ethnography, interviews, participant  and non-participant observation, subjectivity.

Secondary Methods

Introduction to types of secondary methods; the evaluation of secondary sources; overview of official statistics; historical and personal documents.

Experiments

Ethical, practical and methodological reasons for the infrequent use of experimentation in sociological research; the concepts of experimental control, dependent and independent variables; causality and correlation; the problems involved in the conduct and use of sociological experiments.

Re-evaluating the SPE.

And its Critics

Philip Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison Experiment (SPE) is probably one of the best-known modern-day social science experiments - one that's also come-in for more than its fair share of criticism in recent times. This evaluation looks at the original experiment, the criticisms and Haslem and Reicher's contemporary  reevaluation of the validity of the SPE.

Participant Observation

The concept of empathy and how it relates to Participant Observation as a method of data collection; problems of Participant Observation in context; the concept of an "observer effect".

More Participant Observation

Notes covering different types of Participant Observation (overt and covert), with a focus on discussion of their respective advantages and disadvantages.

AS Sociological Methods

Interesting document written by Mary Morgan that provides a comprehensive overview of research methods (and methodology) at AS level.

Of  Methods and Methodology

Online Notes covering the following areas:

Positivism

Interpretivism

Realism

Postmodernism

Triangulation

Practical Research Considerations

Ethical Research Considerations

Theoretical Research Considerations

Research Methods Flipbook

Online Flipbook covering: primary and secondary methods; qualitative and quantitative data.

Overt Participant Observation

Sudhir Venkatesh's "Gang Leader for a Day" study is used as a base for the outline and evaluation of key methodological concepts in overt participant observation. These include:
▪ Access.
▪ Recording Data.
▪ Validity.
▪ Depth and Detail.
▪ Going Native.
▪ Observer Effect.

Research Methods Chapter

This complete textbook chapter taken from the 1st edition of AS Sociology for AQA covers:

1. Sources and types of data

2. The research process: types of sampling.

3. The research process: primary and secondary methods.

4. Research methodology: positivism and interpretivism.

5. Practical, ethical and theoretical research considerations.

Research Methods Chapter

This complete textbook chapter taken from the 2nd edition of AS Sociology for AQA covers:

1. The distinction between primary and secondary data, and between quantitative and qualitative data.

2. Sources of data, including questionnaires, interviews, participant and non-participant observation, experiments, documents, and official statistics; the strengths and limitations of these sources.

3. The relationship between positivism, interpretivism and sociological methods; the nature of social facts.

4. Quantitative and qualitative methods of research; their strengths and limitations; research design.

5. The theoretical, practical and ethical considerations influencing choice of topic, choice of method(s)

and the conduct of research.

The Research Process:

1. Design

The four chapters in this series, of which this is the first, are taken from the published version of OCR Sociology for AS (2012). Together they outline the various factors - from methodology through methods to data - involved in the research process while individually they cover specific aspects of the overall process. This chapter covers research design.

The Research Process:

2. Quantiative Methods

The second chapter taken from the published version of OCR Sociology for AS (2012) outlines and evaluates a range of primary and secondary quantitative research methods.

The Research Process:

3. Qualitative Methods

The third chapter taken from the published version of OCR Sociology for AS (2012) outlines and evaluates a range of primary and secondary qualitative research methods.

The Research Process:

4. Mixed Methods

The fourth chapter taken from the published version of OCR Sociology for AS (2012) examines various aspects of triangulation, practical, ethical and theoretical research considerations.