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Key Terms and Concepts: Research Methods (AQA GCSE Sociology): Revision Note

Raj Bonsor

Written by: Raj Bonsor

Reviewed by: Lucy Vinson

Updated on

Key terms and concepts: research methods

  • In both Paper 1 and 2, you will be asked to define selected key terms as used by sociologists

  • You will also need to make use of appropriate specialist language in your answers to the exam questions

  • Apart from the terms listed here, you will not be expected to be familiar with any other key terms related to research methods

  • Knowing these key terms and concepts will:

    • make it easier for you to understand the subject content across the entire GCSE course

    • help you draw links across the topics so that you can answer the research methods in context questions effectively

Research Methods

attitude survey

bias

case study

census

closed question

confidentiality

content analysis

covert observation

data

data analysis

data protection

ethical considerations

ethnography

focus group

hypothesis

informed consent

interview

longitudinal study

mixed methods research

non-participant observation

observation

open question

participant observation

population

primary data

qualitative data

quantitative data

questionnaire

quota sample

random sample

reliability

representative data/sample

research

respondent

sample

sampling frame

secondary data

selective use of data

snowball sample

survey

triangulation

unrepresentative sample

unstructured interview

validity

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    Author
    Reviewer
    Raj Bonsor

    Author: Raj Bonsor

    Expertise: Psychology & Sociology Content Creator

    Raj joined Save My Exams in 2024 as a Senior Content Creator for Psychology & Sociology. Prior to this, she spent fifteen years in the classroom, teaching hundreds of GCSE and A Level students. She has experience as Subject Leader for Psychology and Sociology, and her favourite topics to teach are research methods (especially inferential statistics!) and attachment. She has also successfully taught a number of Level 3 subjects, including criminology, health & social care, and citizenship.

    Lucy Vinson

    Author: Lucy Vinson

    Expertise: Psychology Subject Lead

    Lucy has been a part of Save My Exams since 2024 and is responsible for all things Psychology & Social Science in her role as Subject Lead. Prior to this, Lucy taught for 5 years, including Computing (KS3), Geography (KS3 & GCSE) and Psychology A Level as a Subject Lead for 4 years. She loves teaching research methods and psychopathology. Outside of the classroom, she has provided pastoral support for hundreds of boarding students over a four year period as a boarding house tutor.