AS Methods Summary

So finally the 'methods' section of the AS Sociology course is nearly complete, after four weeks of social surveys, questionnaires, interviews and observations you will all be masters of who does what research and why. You now understand words like positivists, quantitative and case studies, but remember you must always think of why you would use each method or would not, for example if an email questionnaire is quick, explain why, i.e. because respondents can instantly send back their responses. But is it as simple as that? Obviously not, have you ever answered an email questionnaire? Come on we are living busy lives here, these emails are usually deleted or instanlty filtered as spam by your email provider hence there is a low response rate. So expand on your reasons and also make them appropriate to the method that you are talking about. For example Barker wanted to study the Moonies in a overt format, reason, to come-and-go as she pleased, even though she did end up spending 6 years with them! Problem, the Moonies all knew she was a sociologists...

Read an article on "The Making of a moonie" on sociology online.