ReviseSociology

Tag: research

  • Evaluate the Strengths of Using Social Surveys in Social Research (20)

    ‘Evaluate the Strengths of Using Social Surveys in Social Research’ (20) This is an essay plan for a possible essay for the AQA’s A Level Sociology paper 3: Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods. This essay plan uses the TPEN structure which covers the theoretical, practical, ethical and ‘nature of topic’ factors relevant to […]

  • What is a Likert Scale?

    A Likert* scale is a multiple-indicator or multiple-item measure of a set of attitudes relating to a particular area. The goal of a Likert scale is to measure intensity of feelings about the area in question. A Likert scale about Likert scales! In its most common format, the Likert scale consists of a statement (e.g. […]

  • Concepts in Quantitative Sociological Research

    Concepts are the building blocks of theory, and are the points around which social research is conducted. Concepts are closely related to the main sociological perspectives, and some of the main concepts developed by different perspectives include: Functionalism – social integration and anomie Marxism – social class and alienation. Feminism – gender and patriarchy Interactionism […]

  • The Steps of Quantitative Research

    There are 11 stages of quantitative research: 1. Start with a theory; 2: develop a hypothesis; 3: Research design; 4: operationalise concepts; 5: select a research site; 6: sampling 7: data collection; 8: data processing; 9: data analysis; 10: findings/ conclusion; 11: publishing results.

  • Postmodern Methods in Louis Theroux Documentaries

    Louis Theroux documentaries are a great example of ‘postmodern’ research methods. I say this for the following reasons: Firstly, these documentaries select unusual, deviant case studies to focus on, which is especially true of the latest series – ‘Dark States’ which consists of three episodes about heroin users, sex trafficking and murder. Secondly, they tend […]

  • The Internet as an Object of Content Analysis

    Websites, social media posts and similar virtual documents are all forms of secondary data, and thus amenable to both quantitative and qualitative content analysis.     There are, however, many difficulties in using web sites as sources of content analysis. Following Scott’s (1990) four criteria of assessing the quality of documents, we need consider why […]

  • Scientific Quantitative Methodology in Sociology

    Positivists prefer to the limit themselves the study of objective ‘social facts’ and use statistical data and the comparative method to find correlations, and multivariate analysis to uncover statistically significant ‘causal’ relationships between variables and thus derive the laws of human behaviour. This post explores the Positivist approach to social research, defining and explaining all of the above […]

  • Methods in Context Essay Template

    A suggested template for the Methods in Context Question on one of the AQA’s 7191 (1)education and methods in context sample exam papers – the template should work for most Method in Context questions, but it won’t work for all of them (it’ll fit less well for secondary data MIC questions) Question: 06 Read Item […]

  • Why do White Working Class Kids Lack Aspiration?

    This useful Thinking Allowed Podcast summarises two recent pieces of qualitative social research and helps further our understanding of why white working class boys underachieve in education. The podcast starts with Michael Wilshaw in 2013 (when he was head of OFSTED) pointing out that only 35% of white girls from low income households and 26% of […]

  • Positivism and Interpretivism in Social Research

    Positivism and Interpretivism in Social Research

    Positivists believe society shapes the individual and use quantitative methods, Interpretivists believe individuals shape society and use qualitative methods.