3.

Research Methods and Analysis:

(a) Qualitative and quantitative methods.

(b) Techniques of data collection.

1. “Observation is the most suitable method in social research”. Examine

2. Explain characteristics of a good Researcher

(c) Variables, sampling, hypothesis, reliability and validity.

1. Distinguish between observation and interviewing as techniques of data collection. Under what
contexts may their use be recommended? Bring out their merits and demerits as regards their
objectivity and validity.
2. Analyze the importance of qualitative method in social research
3. What is subjective method in social research ? Examine Focus group Discussion (FGD) as a
technique for data collection, with suitable examples
4. Analyse the limitions of quantitative methods in social research.
5. “Participant observation in many situations is nothing more than a case study.” Comment.
6. Explain the basic features of the ex post facto research design and assess its role in sociological
research.
7. Highlight the problem of objectivity and value-neutrality in Social Research. Elaborate, with
suitable examples, the limitations associated with the tools of measurements in Social Science
Researches.
8. Reliability and validity.
9. Sources of hypothesis.
10. content analysis https://www.thoughtco.com/content-analysis-sociology-3026155
11. Survey research.
12. Verstehen method.
13. Distinguish between probability and non probability sampling methods. How many types of
sampling design are there
14. Distinguish between observation and interviewing as techniques of data collection. Under what
contexts may their use be recommended? Bring out their merits and demerits as regards their
objectivity and validity.
15. Suitability of questionnaire for data collection in developing societies.
16. Discuss the utility of Max Weber’s ideal type as a methodological tool. Explain how Weber uses
the ideal type procedure to depict the authority patterns
17. Participant observation and the problem of objectivity.
18. Utility of Reliability and Validity in Social Research
19. Report and objective in social science research.
20. What are variables? Discuss their role in experimental research.
21. Research Design/ Design of sociological research/ Social research design
 22. Interview as a method of social research
23. Religion and society
24. Techniques employed in measuring attitudes.
25. Techniques of Data Collection
26. Experimental design
27. Bearing of research on theory
28. Measurement of Attitudes
29. Theory and Fact
30. What does Weber mean by ideal types? How is the concept relevant in sociology?
31. Participant observation
32. Methods of Sociology according to Max Weber
33. Comparative method in Sociology
34. A good hypothesis
35. Reliability of a sample
36. Limitations of questionnaire as a technique of data collection.
37. What is the importance of sampling in sociological studies? Distinguish between simple random
sampling and stratified random sampling
38. Importance and source of hypotheses in social research
39. Differentiate between the qualitative and quantitative methods of research
40. In what way biographies could be used to study social life?
41. Which research technique would be most suitable for the study of consumer behaviour and its
social correlates?
42. Why is random sampling said to have more reliability and validity in research?

Snowball sampling- In sociology and statistics research, snowball sampling[1] (or chain
sampling, chain-referral sampling, referral sampling[2][3]) is a nonprobability sampling
technique where existing study subjects recruit future subjects from among their acquaintances.
Thus the sample group is said to grow like a rolling snowball. As the sample builds up, enough
data are gathered to be useful for research. This sampling technique is often used in hidden
populations which are difficult for researchers to access; example populations would be drug
users or sex workers. As sample members are not selected from a sampling frame, snowball
samples, are subject to numerous biases. For example, people who have many friends are more
likely to be recruited into the sample. When virtual social networks are used, then this technique
is called virtual snowball sampling. Because of the nature of the sampling method, the first
subject becomes very important and has an anchoring effect on the other subjects in the sample
to follow.

It was widely believed that it was impossible to make unbiased estimates from snowball samples,
but a variation of snowball sampling called respondent-driven sampling has been shown to
allow researchers to make asymptotically unbiased estimates from snowball samples under
certain conditions. Snowball sampling and respondent-driven sampling also allows researchers to
make estimates about the social networks within the hidden population being studied.
Ex- In India a study on wife battering is possible only through snowball sampling because
complaints with police are rare. However the snowball effect means the sample will lean towards
the socio-economic conditions of the first respondent. In most cases, finding respondents from
middle and upper classes might prove impossible and the sample might be biased towards lower
classes.

Virtual snowball sampling

Virtual snowball sampling is a variation of traditional snowball sampling and it relies on virtual
networks of participants. It brings new advantages but also disadvantages for the researcher.

Advantages

 In hard-to-reach and hard-to-involve populations online sampling can better detect

individuals of researcher’s interest and allows to expand geographical scope of the
studies [6]
 Brings the possibility to increase representativeness of the results [6]
 Virtual sampling can increase the number of responses in comparison with traditional
snowball sampling. According to Baltar (2012) who used Facebook to search for
participants for his study and conduct the research, it was possible to reduce the time
necessary for building trust between the participant and researcher. Participants were
more likely to share their personal information because the researcher was also sharing
personal information on his/her Facebook profile. Increased level of confidence
contributed to higher response rate [6]
 Less costly relative to traditional snowball sampling technique [6]

Disadvantages

 Even though the virtual sampling method can increase representativeness of the results,
sample selection is biased towards the characteristics of online population such as gender,
age, education level, socioeconomic level, etc.[6]
 Target population might not always have access to the Internet [6]

Anchoring or focalism is a cognitive bias that describes the common human tendency to rely too
heavily on the first piece of information offered (the "anchor") when making decisions. During
decision making, anchoring occurs when individuals use an initial piece of information to make
subsequent judgments. Once an anchor is set, other judgments are made by adjusting away from
that anchor, and there is a bias toward interpreting other information around the anchor.

Various studies have shown that anchoring is very difficult to avoid. For example, in one study students
were given anchors that were obviously wrong. They were asked whether Mahatma Gandhi died before
or after age 9, or before or after age 140. Clearly neither of these anchors can be correct, but the two
groups still guessed significantly differently (average age of 50 vs. average age of 67)

Can cause a bias in statistical analysis, pose a problem for questionaire design where questions can
anchor repondents. In theory making, an initial exposure to functionalist or conflict theory could induce
bias towards greater acceptance of such theories and decreased influence of theor criticisms.