Sociological Research Methods

Research Methods focused on Education

Part I: Primary & Secondary Data

Types of Data

Primary Data is.. Info collected 'first hand'; Typically done within groups or

society to test a hypothesis (untested theory) for their own research purposes.

Secondary Data is.. Info collected/created by non-sociologists for their own

research, but by others people/organisations for non sociological purposes.

Sociologists use this method extensively as the info is often free or cheap, readily available and covers large numbers.

Methods for Gathering Primary Data

1. Social Surveys: written questionnaire or interview.

2. Participant Observation: sociologist joins the activities of the group they are studying.

3. Experiments: Sociologists rarely use a lab for experiments. They do sometimes use field experiments & comparative method.

Methods for Gathering Secondary Data

1. Official Statistics: Conducted by governments. Cover a range of info-- crime, divorce, health, unemployment & stats produced by charities, businesses, churches & other similar organisations.

2. Documents: letters, diaries, photos, novels, newspapers, other media too like TV, e-docs…

Examples: Anne Frank’s diary & googledocs

Part II: Quantitative & Qualitative Data

Quantitative Data Data is in numeric (1, 2, 3, 4 etc…) form. Can be in the form of official stats or %.

Examples: Official stats of girls who pass five or more GCSEs.

% of marriages ending in divorce. Opinion polls/market research surveys are

examples of data gathering that results in numbers being generated.

Example: 2 out of 7 people report satisfaction with the current governments policy making.

Qualitative Data

Gives a 'feel' for what something is like. Tries to capture the ‘quality’ of people’s behaviours.

Examples: What is feels like to get a good A-Level result. What it feels like to find out that your boy/girl-friend is breaking

up with you.

Evidence is gathered through participant observation, which aims to give us a sense of what it is like to be on the inside of a group.

Example: Researcher posing as a thug to join a gang/mafia.

Examples of Types of Data

Primary Quantitative Data:

Questionnaires Structured Interviews

Secondary Quantitative Data:

Official statistics

Primary Qualitative Data:

Participant Observation

Unstructured interviews

Secondary Qualitative Data:

Letters, articles, newspapers

Activity: In which of the FOUR categories previously discussed does each of the following belong?

a) Diariesb) Websitesc) Opinion pollsd) Photose) Experimentsf) Historical documents

Answers…

a) Diaries --- qualitative secondaryb) Websites --- qualitative secondaryc) Opinion polls--- quantitative primaryd) Photos --- qualitative primarye) Experiments --- quantitative primaryf) Hist. docs --- qualitative secondary

Check Your Learning

Explain the difference between- a) qualitative & quantitative data b) primary & secondary sources of data

Give one example of-a) a primary method that produces quantitative datab) a secondary source that gives qualitative data