Why might a questionnaire on domestic chores lack validity?

Respondents may misremember or exaggerate how much housework they do. Fixed answer options may also fail to capture how chores are really shared.

What is bias in research?

Bias is any influence that distorts findings so they no longer reflect reality. Bias can come from the researcher's own views, leading questions or an unrepresentative sample.

What are ethical considerations in research?

Ethical considerations are the moral principles researchers must follow to protect participants. The main ones are informed consent, confidentiality and avoiding harm.

AQA GCSE Sociology 8192

The Sociological Approach

Topic overview Key sociological concepts Sociological perspectives: consensus and conflict Durkheim, Marx and Weber How sociological knowledge develops

Families

Topic overview Functions of families Family forms and diversity Conjugal roles and the domestic division of labour Changing relationships within families Criticisms of families Divorce in Britain since 1945

Education

Topic overview Roles and functions of education Education, capitalism and the correspondence principle Class and gender differences in achievement Ethnicity, parental choice and school markets Processes within schools

Crime and Deviance

Topic overview Social construction of crime and deviance Formal and informal social control Explanations of criminal behaviour Patterns of crime and public debates Crime statistics and the dark figure

Social Stratification

Topic overview Functionalist theory of stratification Marx, Weber and socio-economic class Factors affecting life chances Poverty as a social issue Forms of power and authority Power relationships

Research Methods

Topic overview Research design, hypotheses and data analysis Sampling methods Questionnaires and interviews Observation and mixed methods Types of data and official statistics Reliability, validity, ethics and practical issues

Research Methods

Reliability, validity, ethics and practical issues

3 things to know
Papers 1 and 2

Overview

Reliability, validity and bias, informed consent, confidentiality, harm and data protection, and the time, cost and access issues that shape a choice of method.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

What is reliability in sociological research?

Key term

Why is a structured questionnaire on truancy more reliable than an unstructured interview?

Key term

What is validity in sociological research?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1
What is reliability in sociological research?
Model answer
Reliability means that research can be repeated and produce the same or similar results. Standardised methods such as structured questionnaires tend to be reliable.
2
Why is a structured questionnaire on truancy more reliable than an unstructured interview?
Model answer
Every respondent answers the same questions in the same form, so another researcher could repeat the study. An unstructured interview differs each time and depends on the interviewer.
3
What is validity in sociological research?
Model answer
Validity means that data gives a true and accurate picture of what is being studied. Qualitative methods such as participant observation tend to have high validity.
4
Why might a questionnaire on domestic chores lack validity?
Model answer
Respondents may misremember or exaggerate how much housework they do. Fixed answer options may also fail to capture how chores are really shared.
5
What is bias in research?
Model answer
Bias is any influence that distorts findings so they no longer reflect reality. Bias can come from the researcher's own views, leading questions or an unrepresentative sample.
6
What are ethical considerations in research?
Model answer
Ethical considerations are the moral principles researchers must follow to protect participants. The main ones are informed consent, confidentiality and avoiding harm.

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The Sociological Approach

Families

Education

Crime and Deviance

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A communist society would follow.

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AONS figures show that divorces rose briefly after the Second World War.

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Monogamy means marriage to only one partner at a time.

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