Research Design
Sociology: AQA GCSE, topic 6.1.1
Research Design
Methods used to collect and analyse data to reach conclusions that either verify or prove the hypothesis wrong.
Key decisions
- Before you start your research project, ask yourself the following questions:
- Is it worthwhile?
- Is it doable? Are there any practical problems, i.e. time, money, and access?
- Will it be representative, i.e. will it be typical of the population? How can we ensure a good response rate? Will it be generalisable?
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Key decisions cont.
- Will it be valid, i.e. will it be accurate/ true to life?
- Will it be unbiased/ objective? How can issues of bias be eliminated?
- Will the research affect in any way those involved? What are the ethical considerations?
Establishing appropriate aims
- State clearly the aims that the sociologists want to realise.
- Allow the reader to decide whether the research has achieved its aims.
- Use a methodology that might be possibly used later by other sociologists to further develop your study.
- Improve knowledge that already exists on a topic.
Formulating a hypothesis
- A hypothesis is an educated guess of an idea that is then tested and can either be confirmed as correct or rejected as wrong.
- E.g. Fiona Devine wanted to test Goldthorpe’s idea of affluent workers. She proved him wrong. (Key study: Affluent workers revisited, 1992.)