Research Methods
Approaches to Sociological research
Case Study
• A type of research that studies the characteristics of a particular group
or case
• Its not a research method, but a technique that uses different research
methods to generate data
• Mostly based on qualitative methods
• Strengths:
- Great depth and detail of information that has greater validity than quantitative methods
- If the sample is relatively small, large amounts of data can be generated in a cost effective way
- Discover meanings behind everyday behavior
- Small case studies can be used by the researcher to develop hypothesis, test data collection
methods and identify potential problems for the larger study
Case Study
• Weaknesses
- Practical limitations stemming from the size and scope of the study
- Large-scale in-depth studies – take up a lot of time, effort and money
- The intensive nature of the study – higher demands on the researcher’s skills and on the
respondents who are observed for a longer period time
- Difficult to generalize – comparisons can be drawn
Social Surveys
• Cross-sectional surveys - Researchers collect data about variables
from many individuals at a single point in time
- Qualitative forms of cross-sectional surveys are generally descriptive; aim is to illustrate a
particular type of behavior
- Quantitative forms of cross sectional surveys are more analytic; aim is to analyze correlations and
causations between different phenomena
- Both types require representative sample, since the aim is to make generalizations about
behavior
- Uses single variables in standardized groups to identify groups that share broad similarities such
as income, education and gender
Ethnography
• A way of researching (fieldwork) which tries to achieve a detailed, in-
depth understanding of the behavior of a group of people or a social
situation
• Strongly associated with participant observation, whether overt or
covert
• It may also use a range of other methods such as, unstructured
interviews and qualitative documents.
• It may also make use of quantitative data
Longitudinal Studies
• Comparative analysis that involves tracking changes in a
representative sample over time
• The same group is analyzed at different stages of their lives using
methods ranging from questionnaires to non-participant observation
• Longitudinal surveys carried out at intervals over a significant period
of time
• The researcher remains removed from the study group and comes
into contact with the group at intervals on a limited basis
Longitudinal Studies
• Strengths
- Helps to identify and track social and personal changes over a long period – revealing trends
- Usually based on large representative samples – can be used to suggest correlations and causal
relationships
• Limitations
- Sample Attrition
- A quick look at behavior at any given moment – criticized for lacking depth and validity
Mixed Methods Approach
• Methodological pluralism
- Research projects involving more than one research method
- Combining methods to produce qualitative and quantitative data
- It is used because different research methods have different strengths
and weaknesses
- Rather than approaching research methodology through a theoretical
perspective (positivist vs. interpretivist), it approaches it through a
methodological perspective
How to collect data with
the highest possible levels
of validity and reliability
Mixed Methods Approach
• Triangulation
- Methodological pluralism – theoretical argument for using mixed
methods
- Triangulation – means through which this theory is put into practice
- Various ways through which researcher improves reliability and
validity
- Denzin (1970) – the use of two or more research methods allows the
researcher to offset the weaknesses of one method with the
strengths of the other
Triangulation
• The researcher can compare the results of two different methods on
the same people to assess the reliability and validity of their findings
• Methodological triangulation involves:
- Two or more researchers using one research technique
- One researcher using two or more research techniques
- Two or more researchers using two or more research techniques
• Researcher triangulation (using more than one researcher)
- Used in studies that rely heavily on the researchers interpretations in generating data
- Two different researchers – using same methods – coming to same results – confirms the reliability
of the data
- Using researchers from different ethnic, age etc. backgrounds – keeps
the interviewer and observer bias in check
Triangulation
• Data triangulation
- Gathering information through different sampling strategies such as , collecting data at different
times, in different contexts and from different people
- Data collected can be from people involved in the study as well through researchers own
experiences in that situation
- Example Venkatesh’s study
• Practical problems associated with methodological pluralism and
triangulation:
- It adds another layer of time, effort and expense in research
Time needed to analyze General The need to
different types of data coordination of employ more
generated by different a much larger researchers
methods project
