Analyze the extent to which practical issues are the most of import influence when choosing research methods and a research subject ( 20 Markss ) Practical issues are considered to be of most importance when taking what research method to utilize. Different methods require different sums of clip and money which may act upon the sociologist’s pick as large-scale studies have to use tonss of interviewers and staff bing a batch of money where as a small-scale undertaking affecting a lone research worker may be cheaper to transport out nevertheless. this so may take more clip. The support of research comes from institutes. concerns and other administrations necessitating quantitative informations to be produced. this means that the method used will hold to be capable of bring forthing such informations such as questionnaires or structured interviews. Sociologists require different personal accomplishments which may impact their ability to utilize different methods as participant observation normally requires the ability to blend easy with others. observation and callback accomplishments whereas interviews require the sociologist to set up a resonance with the interviewee.
Not all sociologists may hold these qualities or accomplishments so may hold trouble utilizing certain methods. Another practical issue is capable affair as it may be much harder to analyze a peculiar group or capable by one method than another. Research chance can be an issue as sometimes to chance to transport out research occurs out of the blue intending that it may non be possible to utilize structured methods such as questionnaires which would take longer to fix whereas in other fortunes the research worker might hold been able to put up the research chance carefully ahead and have plentifulness of clip to choose their methods. Before sociologists decide which method to utilize they need to make up one’s mind what topic they wish to analyze. practical factors may impact this pick. A practical issue act uponing pick of subject may be the unavailability of certain state of affairss to the research worker as this can curtail what topics they are able to analyze. Ethical issues can be considered more of import when taking which method to utilize in research.
Informed consent can be an ethical issue as research participants should be offered the right to decline and should be made to the full cognizant of all the relevant facets of research so they can do a to the full informed privateness determination. Consent should be obtained beforehand and at intervals throughout the procedure. Confidentiality and is an ethical issue to be considered as the individuality of research participants should be kept secret to forestall any negative effects. privateness of research participants should be respected and their personal information should be kept confidential such as in postal studies as they are anon. and protect the individuality of research topics. Research workers need to be cognizant of the possible effects of their work on those they study such as constabularies intercession. societal exclusion and psychological harm. The research worker should seek expecting and forestalling these harmful effects. Particular attention should be taken where research participants are peculiarly vulnerable because of their age. disablement. or physical or mental wellness. Covert research can make serious ethical jobs such as lying or lead oning research participants in order to win their trust or obtain information as it is impossible to derive informed consent while maintaining the research or its intent a secret.
Theoretical issues can besides be considered more of import in act uponing the pick of methods as we have to see the cogency of the method and which allows the research worker to acquire closer to the truth. Qualitative methods such as participant observation give a more valid or true history of what it is like to be a member of a group than quantitative methods such as questionnaires can. We besides have to see the dependability of the method this is one which when repeated by another research worker gives the same consequences Representativeness is besides a theoretical issue than can act upon the pick of method used as this refers to whether or non the people we study are a typical cross subdivision of the group we are interested in.
We have to utilize a representative sample so our findings can be generalised. Large scale quantitative studies are more likely to bring forth representative informations. The pick of subject being studied can be influenced by the sociologist’s theoretical position. To measure. Practical issues are the most of import in act uponing pick of methods because they constrain the picks research workers can do as they limit the factor instead than holding a positive influence on pick. Ethical and theoretical issues may hold some influence on pick of methods for consent and privateness issues and the cogency. dependability and representativeness of the methods but practical issues are more of import.
