Quantitative social science methods

Question 1

What is induction reseacrch?

Answer 1

• Data is gathered for specific level of focus
• Analysis to look for patterns
• Develop theory for general level of focus

Question 2

What is deduction research?

Answer 2

• theorise/hypothesise = general level of focus
• Analysis - analyse data
• Hypotheses supported or not = specific level of focus

Question 3

What is the idiographic approach?

Answer 3

• few cases
• strives to understand a case, often without determining causalities
• Analyses under aesthetic aspects

Question 4

What is the nomothetic approach?

Answer 4

• Many cases
• Explanatory approach; interested in determining causalities; reference to variables

Question 5

What are old types of social science methods for health research?

Answer 5

• Surveys
• Qualitative interviews
• Ethnographies
• Content analysis
• Cases studies
• Comparitive-historical researc
• Focus groups
• Experiments
• Conversation analysis

Question 6

What are surveys?

Answer 6

• Ask a number of people the same questions and generalise to the population they represent
• sample and population
• representativeness
• sampling bias
• probability and non-probability sampling

Question 7

What are the types of survey questions?

Answer 7

• Open ended
• Close ended- place for everything, everything in its place
• Double barreled questions
• Clear and objective (good)
• Sensitive questions (and how to ask them)