Social Surveys and Sampling Flashcards

1
Q

What is a hypothesis?

A

A possible explanation that can be tested by collecting evidence to prove it true or false

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2
Q

Why do positivists favour a hypothesis?

A

Favour a hypothesis as the starting point for research

Can seek to discover cause and effect relationships

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3
Q

What is an advantage of a hypothesis?

A

Gives direction to the research

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4
Q

What is an aim?

A

Aim identifies what we intend to study and hope to achieve through the research

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5
Q

What is the advantage of an aim?

A

It is more open-ended

  • Not tied to trying to prove a particular hypothesis
  • Gather data on anything that appears interesting about a situation
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6
Q

Why do interpretivists favour aims?

A

Often favour a broad aim rather than a hypothesis as they are interested in understanding meanings

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7
Q

What is operationalising concepts?

A

The process of converting a sociological concept into something we can measure is called operationalised

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8
Q

Why are positivists concerned to operationalise concepts?

A

Concerned because of the importance they place on creating and testing hypotheses

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9
Q

What is the aim of a pilot study?

A

Iron out any problems, refine or clarify questions and their wording and give the interviewer practice

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10
Q

What is the basic purpose of sampling?

A

Usually to ensure that those people chose to include in the study are representative of the research population

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11
Q

When is a sample representative?

A

Should be able to generalise findings to the whole research population

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12
Q

What is a sampling frame?

A

List of all the members of the population we are interested in studying

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13
Q

Why is important to ensure that the list used as a sampling frame is complete, accurate, up to date and not a duplicate?

A

Sample chosen from it may not be representative of the population

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14
Q

What is random sampling?

A

Sampling selected purely by chance

Everyone has an equal chance of being selected

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15
Q

What is quasi-random/systematic sampling?

A

Every n+h person in the sampling frame is chosen

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16
Q

What is stratified random sampling?

A

Researcher first stratifies the population in the sampling frame by age, class, gender etc.

Sample is then created in the same proportions

17
Q

What is quota sampling?

A

Population is stratified and then each interviewer is given a quota of say 20 females and 20 makes which they have to fill with respondents who fit these characteristics

18
Q

What is a survey?

A

Large scale collection of data from a research population

19
Q

What is a sample?

A

Small group from the research population who complete the survey

20
Q

What is a representative sample?

A

The sample reflects the overall research population

21
Q

What is a snowball sample?

A

The researcher asks participants if they know anyone who may also complete the survey

22
Q

What is a response rate?

A

Refers to the proportion of people who complete and return the survey

23
Q

What is a questionnaire?

A

A list of questions that sets out to measure something and create quantitative data

24
Q

What is a closed question?

A

Respondents have a fixed set of responses to chose from

Reponses counted for quantitative data

25
Q

What is an open ended question?

A

No fixed reponses

Invite detailed, qualitiative responses