Sociological Research Methods
What sociological research methods means
Surveys, interviews, observation and ethics in social research.
Before you start
Not confident yet? Work through Thinking Sociologically first.
Worked example
One question from this skill's own question bank, shown with its full working.
A survey is a research method that
- collects data from many people using standardised questions
- observes one person secretly
- experiments on animals
- studies documents only
Working: Surveys gather comparable data from large samples, often by questionnaire.
Curriculum and exam alignment
Curriculum notes are a general guide to where this work normally sits. Always check the syllabus your school or examination body is currently using.
Related skills
Other The Sociological Perspective skills in Sociology, at the same point in the course.
Other Sociology topics
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Practise sociological research methods
6 questions with a worked answer after every attempt, and a SmartScore that tracks how close you are to mastery.