Question 1

Q1: Why is the question of a scientific method particularly important in sociology?

Accepted Answer

The question of a scientific method is particularly important in sociology for two main reasons: 1.  Distinguishing Sociology from Common Sense: Sociology deals with subjects that are familiar to everyone, such as family, social groups, and relationships. Unlike a natural scientist studying rocks or...

Question 2

Q10: Describe main features of the interview as a research method.

Accepted Answer

The interview is a research method that can be described as a guided conversation between a researcher and a respondent. Its main features are:    Flexibility: This is its primary advantage. Unlike a rigid survey questionnaire, an interview allows the researcher to re-phrase questions, change their...

Question 3

Q2: What are some of the reasons for 'objectivity' being more complicated in social sciences, particularly disciplines like sociology?

Accepted Answer

Objectivity, meaning unbiased and neutral knowledge based on facts, is more complicated in sociology than in the natural sciences for several reasons:    The Sociologist is Part of the Social World: Unlike a geologist studying rocks, a sociologist studies the human social world in which they themsel...

Question 4

Q3: How do sociologists try to deal with difficulties in "objectivity" and strive for objectivity?

Accepted Answer

Sociologists use several methods to deal with the difficulties of achieving objectivity: 1.  Self-Reflexivity: Sociologists rigorously and continuously examine their own ideas, feelings, and biases regarding the subject of their research. They try to adopt an outsider's perspective on their own work...

Question 5

Q4: What is meant by 'reflexivity' and why is it important in sociology?

Accepted Answer

Reflexivity, or self-reflexivity, is the practice by which sociologists continuously and rigorously examine their own ideas, feelings, attitudes, and biases about the subject they are researching. It involves the researcher trying to take an outsider's perspective on their own work, attempting to se...

Question 6

Q5: What are some of the things that ethnographers and sociologists do during participant observation?

Accepted Answer

During participant observation, also known as fieldwork, ethnographers and sociologists engage in a variety of activities to learn about the 'whole way of life' of a community. Some of these key activities include:    Long-term Immersion: They spend a long period, typically a year or more, living am...

Question 7

Q6: What are the strengths and weaknesses of participant observation as a method?

Accepted Answer

Participant observation, or fieldwork, has significant strengths and weaknesses as a research method. Strengths:    Rich, In-depth Data: Its main strength is that it provides a very rich and detailed picture of social life from the 'insider's' perspective. No other method offers such deep knowledge....

Question 8

Q7: What are the basic elements of the survey method? What is chief advantage of this method?

Accepted Answer

The survey is a research method designed to provide a broad overview of a subject. Its basic elements are:    Representative Sample: It gathers information from a carefully chosen, representative set of people, known as 'respondents'.    Questionnaire: It typically uses a structured list of question...

Question 9

Q8: Describe some of the criteria involved in selecting a representative sample.

Accepted Answer

Selecting a representative sample for a survey depends on two main principles to ensure that the sample accurately reflects the larger population: 1.  Stratification: This principle requires that all relevant sub-groups or 'strata' within the population are identified and represented in the sample....

Question 10

Q9: State some of the weaknesses of the survey method.

Accepted Answer

Despite its advantages, the survey method has several weaknesses:    Lack of Depth: While it provides wide coverage, this comes at the cost of depth. Due to the large number of respondents and limited time for each, it is usually not possible to get detailed, in-depth information.    Inflexibility:...

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