Sociology. One of the social sciences. But is it a science? If so, why is it considered to be one of the Humanities subjects? Why is Sociology not taught in the Science neighbourhood at BISH?
Positivist and interpretivist approaches to research
Read pages 12-13 in your Blundell textbook and the videos below and produce a table made up of two columns - one headed by the word 'Positivists' and one headed by word 'Interpretivists'. List the beliefs of Positivists in one column and the beliefs of Interpretivists in another. Be as detailed as you can but make sure you have included:
- What is important to them
- What, according to them, Sociology's relationship with Science is
- What kind of data do they like/value
- What kinds of research methods are they likely to use
- What is important to them
- What, according to them, Sociology's relationship with Science is
- What kind of data do they like/value
- What kinds of research methods are they likely to use
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the main steps in devising and implementing a research strategy
Sampling
questionnaires
interviews
Use pages 24-27 of your Blundell textbook to make bullet point notes under these headings
Six types of interview (qualitative in one colour, quantitative in another colour):
Why interpretivists would prefer qualitative interviews (to quantitative, structured interviews):
What makes a skillful interviewer and why it’s important to have one:
Why positivists would criticise qualitative interviews as a way of gaining valid data:
The strengths and weaknesses of Focus groups as a method of research:
Caroline Gattrell’s case study (which involved qualitative, unstructured interviews as a research method) and what she found:
Six types of interview (qualitative in one colour, quantitative in another colour):
Why interpretivists would prefer qualitative interviews (to quantitative, structured interviews):
What makes a skillful interviewer and why it’s important to have one:
Why positivists would criticise qualitative interviews as a way of gaining valid data:
The strengths and weaknesses of Focus groups as a method of research:
Caroline Gattrell’s case study (which involved qualitative, unstructured interviews as a research method) and what she found: