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AQA GCSE Sociology (8192) · 3.7 Sociological research methods
Mini-Lesson

Sociological research methods

This mini-lesson covers AQA Topic 3.7 — Sociological research methods: primary vs secondary data, quantitative vs qualitative data, key methods (questionnaires, interviews, observation, experiments), sampling, and how sociologists judge reliability, validity and representativeness.

Work through each screen, answer the questions as you go and collect ⭐ stars. Some questions are multiple-choice, some are sort-and-match games, and a few use simple research-methods maths (percentages and sample figures). Press Start when you're ready.

Methods · data types

Types of data

  • Primary data — collected first-hand by the researcher (e.g. a questionnaire they design). Secondary data — already exists (e.g. official statistics, documents).
  • Quantitative data — numbers and statistics. Qualitative data — words, meanings and detail.

Positivists favour quantitative data and see sociology as a science; interpretivists favour qualitative data to understand meanings.

Quick check

Type of data

?A researcher analyses government census statistics that already existed. What type of data is this?
Methods · key concepts

Reliability, validity & representativeness

  • Reliability — could the study be repeated and give the same results? (Structured methods tend to be reliable.)
  • Validity — does it give a true, in-depth picture of what it claims to measure? (Qualitative methods tend to be more valid.)
  • Representativeness — does the sample reflect the wider population, so results can be generalised?

Don't muddle them: reliability = repeatability; validity = truthfulness/depth.

Quick check

Which concept?

?A study can be repeated by another researcher and produces the same results each time. This shows the study has high…
Methods · questionnaires & interviews

Questionnaires & interviews

  • Questionnaires — cheap, quick, cover many people, reliable; but low response rates and may lack depth/validity.
  • Structured interviews — set questions, comparable and reliable, but limited depth.
  • Unstructured interviews — flexible, rich, valid data; but time-consuming and harder to compare/repeat.
Sort it

Sort the method

Tap a feature, then whether it best describes quantitative or qualitative methods (or applies to both).

🔁 Both

🔢 Quantitative

💬 Qualitative

Calculate

Your turn — response rate

✎A researcher posts 500 questionnaires and 275 are completed and returned. Calculate the response rate as a percentage. Give a whole number.
%
Hint: response rate = (returned ÷ sent) × 100 = (275 ÷ 500) × 100.
Methods · observation & experiments

Observation, experiments & ethics

  • Participant observation — the researcher joins the group. Covert (hidden) can raise ethical issues; overt (open) can cause the Hawthorne effect (people change behaviour when watched).
  • Experiments — rare in sociology; field experiments happen in natural settings.
  • Ethics — researchers must consider informed consent, confidentiality, and avoiding harm.
Calculate

Your turn — percentage

✎In a survey of 800 people who returned a questionnaire, 200 agreed with a statement. What percentage agreed? Give a whole number.
%
Hint: percentage = (part ÷ whole) × 100 = (200 ÷ 800) × 100.
Match it

Match the method to a key strength

Tap a method, then a key strength it is known for.

Statement
Answer
Calculate

Your turn — percentage

✎In a survey of 300 interview responses coded as positive, 219 agreed with a statement. What percentage agreed? Give a whole number.
%
Hint: percentage = (part ÷ whole) × 100 = (219 ÷ 300) × 100.
Methods · sampling

Sampling techniques

  • A sampling frame is the list of the population you sample from.
  • Random sampling — everyone has an equal chance. Systematic — every nth person. Stratified — sample reflects proportions of groups in the population. Snowball — participants recruit others (useful for hard-to-reach groups).
  • Good sampling improves representativeness, so findings can be generalised.
Calculate

Your turn — sample size

✎A sampling frame lists 1200 people. The researcher takes a one-in-six (1/6) sample. How many people are in the sample?
people
Hint: sample = 1200 × 0.16666666666666666.
Quick check

Sampling

?A researcher wants a sample that reflects the proportions of age groups in the population. Which technique is this?
Calculate

Your turn — percentage

✎In a survey of 250 respondents who refused to take part, 40 agreed with a statement. What percentage agreed? Give a whole number.
%
Hint: percentage = (part ÷ whole) × 100 = (40 ÷ 250) × 100.
Quick check

Ethics

?A researcher joins a group without telling members they are being studied. Which ethical issue does this MOST clearly raise?
Recap

Research methods — the big ideas

Data: primary vs secondary; quantitative vs qualitative

Positivism (quantitative, scientific) vs interpretivism (qualitative, meanings)

Judging research: reliability (repeatable) · validity (true/deep) · representativeness (generalisable)

Methods: questionnaires, structured/unstructured interviews, participant observation, experiments

Sampling: frame; random, systematic, stratified, snowball. Ethics: informed consent, confidentiality, no harm

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