AQA A Level
sociology
essays (20 markers)
Methods in Context
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,Page 2 AQA A Level Sociology topic essays: THEORY & METHODS
METHODS IN CONTEXT
Essays (20 markers)
Applying material from Item A and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate
the strengths and limitations of:
• Closed questionnaires for the study of gender and subject choice
• Field experiments for the study of teacher labelling in classrooms
• Group interviews for the study of class differences in educational achievement
• Laboratory experiments for the study of teachers’ expectations of pupils
• Non-participant observations for the study of the impact of setting on
educational achievement
• Official statistics for the study of attendance within schools
• Official statistics for the study of educational achievement amongst different
ethnic groups
• Participant observations for the study of anti-school subcultures
• Postal questionnaires for the study of parents’ attitudes towards their child’s
education
• Unstructured interviews for the study of gender identities within schools
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,AQA A Level Sociology topic essays: METHODS IN CONTEXT Page 3
ITEM A: CLOSED QUESTIONNAIRES AND GENDER AND SUBJECT CHOICE
The choice of GCSE and A-Level subjects is clearly linked to a gender bias according to sociologists.
Females tend towards subjects such as English and Humanities, whereas males tend towards
mathematics and sciences.
Some sociologists would argue that closed questionnaires are an appropriate method for studying
this issue as they would provide highly reliable data and as they are quick to complete students may
be more willing to do so. However there are of course disadvantages such as the lack of validity and
issues of literacy that might influence a student’s ability to complete the questionnaire.
Applying material from Item A and your knowledge of research methods
evaluate the strengths and limitations of closed questionnaires for the
study of gender and subject choice. (20 marks)
By a closed questionnaire, sociologists are referring to a research The research method has been
method that provides respondents with pre-determined introduced and reference has
categories of answers from which to select. Closed been made to the item very
questionnaires can be delivered in the post, in a written format early on.
or even as an interview questionnaire, however their main
advantage as a method for social research is their reliability
The research context has been
(Item A). Positivist sociologists would therefore favour the
method as it allows the researcher to gather large volumes of identified and strengths and
comparable data in a short space of time and respondents are limitations of the method have
willing to complete the questionnaires because they are been applied appropriately.
relatively quick to complete. This is important when studying the
issue of gender and subject choice because it is likely that the
questionnaires would be issued to students themselves, who
may be busy working towards examination subjects as this is the
time at which subject choices take place (Item A). As such they
are unlikely to want to complete a detailed questionnaire that
requires longer responses, preferring instead to complete them
quickly by ticking boxes, ranking answers on a scale etc.
This would also be the case within the context of the school, as it
is unlikely that the gatekeeper such as the head teacher would be Clear reference is made to the
willing to accept a researcher into the school if they felt their educational context and the
presence would detract from the main business of the school research method has been
which is achievement. As such they would be more applied appropriately through
accommodating to the researcher if they guaranteed that their an analysis of its strengths and
research would minimise disruption to students. Students might limitations.
also be more willing to complete a closed questionnaire as it
feels less personal and often young people are self-conscious and Reference has been made to the
do not feel comfortable revealing their true feelings about particular research issue.
personal issues such as subject choice and gender. This leads
onto another key advantage of the method for studying the Key concepts are used
Copyright tutor2u Limited / School Network License / Photocopying Permitted www.tutor2u.net/sociology
, Page 4 AQA A Level Sociology topic essays: METHODS IN CONTEXT
particular issue as it allows the respondents the chance to effectively to support points.
remain anonymous. Unlike other research methods such as open
interviews, there is the option for the respondent not to reveal
their identity when completing a closed questionnaire and as
such they may be more inclined to be truthful in their responses
and less likely to give answers that are socially desirable to their
peers or which they consider to be desirable to the researcher
who they would likely regard as someone in a position of power
or authority.
From a practical point of view, once the researcher has gained Reference has been made to the
access to the school (following permission from a gatekeeper educational setting and
and a DBS check) it is likely that the method of a closed appropriate strengths and
questionnaire could be used with a larger sample as schools have limitations have been
a significant number of students who are choosing or who have considered in detail and in
chosen their optional subjects readily available and as students response to the particular
are used to completing written work in school it is likely that research issue.
they would be willing to do so quickly and so there would be a
high response rate. The data yielded from the study would be in
There is a clear evaluative
quantitative form and this would allow the researcher to
determine patterns and trends around the topic of gender and structure.
subject choice and this information could then be used to tackle
inequality and ensure a fairer distribution of males and females
within different subject areas through changes to school policy
and practice.
Another advantage of the use of a closed questionnaire is that if Clear focus on both the context
conducted under the right conditions it could reduce the of education and the research
influence of peer pressure on young people, as if they are unable issue.
to see the answers given by other respondents then they may be
more truthful in their own answers. In theory therefore this Analysis and application are
means closed questionnaires are a useful method for studying
detailed and appropriate to the
gender and subject choice as they provide both reliable and valid
data. However, it could be argued that if the questionnaire does demands of the question.
not allow the option of “other” as one of the answers and the
opportunity for the student to respond to each question beyond
the constraints of the answers selected by the researcher then it
could potentially undermine the validity of the study and simply
be a reflection of the researcher’s own values in relation to the
issue of gender and subject choice. Students may also feel a sense
that the questionnaire is a bit like a test as it has been given to
them during school time and so they may be under the
impression that there is a “right answer” rather than answering
truthfully and it may be difficult for the researcher to explain to
them that this is not the case.
Another significant disadvantage of using closed questionnaires
as a method for studying gender and subject choice is that it may An evaluative point which
not provide rich enough data to fully explain the reasons behind focuses on the particular
the different subject choices made by males and females research issue and addresses
www.tutor2u.net/sociology Copyright tutor2u Limited / School Network License / Photocopying Permitted
sociology
essays (20 markers)
Methods in Context
www.tutor2u.net/sociology
,Page 2 AQA A Level Sociology topic essays: THEORY & METHODS
METHODS IN CONTEXT
Essays (20 markers)
Applying material from Item A and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate
the strengths and limitations of:
• Closed questionnaires for the study of gender and subject choice
• Field experiments for the study of teacher labelling in classrooms
• Group interviews for the study of class differences in educational achievement
• Laboratory experiments for the study of teachers’ expectations of pupils
• Non-participant observations for the study of the impact of setting on
educational achievement
• Official statistics for the study of attendance within schools
• Official statistics for the study of educational achievement amongst different
ethnic groups
• Participant observations for the study of anti-school subcultures
• Postal questionnaires for the study of parents’ attitudes towards their child’s
education
• Unstructured interviews for the study of gender identities within schools
www.tutor2u.net/sociology Copyright tutor2u Limited / School Network License / Photocopying Permitted
,AQA A Level Sociology topic essays: METHODS IN CONTEXT Page 3
ITEM A: CLOSED QUESTIONNAIRES AND GENDER AND SUBJECT CHOICE
The choice of GCSE and A-Level subjects is clearly linked to a gender bias according to sociologists.
Females tend towards subjects such as English and Humanities, whereas males tend towards
mathematics and sciences.
Some sociologists would argue that closed questionnaires are an appropriate method for studying
this issue as they would provide highly reliable data and as they are quick to complete students may
be more willing to do so. However there are of course disadvantages such as the lack of validity and
issues of literacy that might influence a student’s ability to complete the questionnaire.
Applying material from Item A and your knowledge of research methods
evaluate the strengths and limitations of closed questionnaires for the
study of gender and subject choice. (20 marks)
By a closed questionnaire, sociologists are referring to a research The research method has been
method that provides respondents with pre-determined introduced and reference has
categories of answers from which to select. Closed been made to the item very
questionnaires can be delivered in the post, in a written format early on.
or even as an interview questionnaire, however their main
advantage as a method for social research is their reliability
The research context has been
(Item A). Positivist sociologists would therefore favour the
method as it allows the researcher to gather large volumes of identified and strengths and
comparable data in a short space of time and respondents are limitations of the method have
willing to complete the questionnaires because they are been applied appropriately.
relatively quick to complete. This is important when studying the
issue of gender and subject choice because it is likely that the
questionnaires would be issued to students themselves, who
may be busy working towards examination subjects as this is the
time at which subject choices take place (Item A). As such they
are unlikely to want to complete a detailed questionnaire that
requires longer responses, preferring instead to complete them
quickly by ticking boxes, ranking answers on a scale etc.
This would also be the case within the context of the school, as it
is unlikely that the gatekeeper such as the head teacher would be Clear reference is made to the
willing to accept a researcher into the school if they felt their educational context and the
presence would detract from the main business of the school research method has been
which is achievement. As such they would be more applied appropriately through
accommodating to the researcher if they guaranteed that their an analysis of its strengths and
research would minimise disruption to students. Students might limitations.
also be more willing to complete a closed questionnaire as it
feels less personal and often young people are self-conscious and Reference has been made to the
do not feel comfortable revealing their true feelings about particular research issue.
personal issues such as subject choice and gender. This leads
onto another key advantage of the method for studying the Key concepts are used
Copyright tutor2u Limited / School Network License / Photocopying Permitted www.tutor2u.net/sociology
, Page 4 AQA A Level Sociology topic essays: METHODS IN CONTEXT
particular issue as it allows the respondents the chance to effectively to support points.
remain anonymous. Unlike other research methods such as open
interviews, there is the option for the respondent not to reveal
their identity when completing a closed questionnaire and as
such they may be more inclined to be truthful in their responses
and less likely to give answers that are socially desirable to their
peers or which they consider to be desirable to the researcher
who they would likely regard as someone in a position of power
or authority.
From a practical point of view, once the researcher has gained Reference has been made to the
access to the school (following permission from a gatekeeper educational setting and
and a DBS check) it is likely that the method of a closed appropriate strengths and
questionnaire could be used with a larger sample as schools have limitations have been
a significant number of students who are choosing or who have considered in detail and in
chosen their optional subjects readily available and as students response to the particular
are used to completing written work in school it is likely that research issue.
they would be willing to do so quickly and so there would be a
high response rate. The data yielded from the study would be in
There is a clear evaluative
quantitative form and this would allow the researcher to
determine patterns and trends around the topic of gender and structure.
subject choice and this information could then be used to tackle
inequality and ensure a fairer distribution of males and females
within different subject areas through changes to school policy
and practice.
Another advantage of the use of a closed questionnaire is that if Clear focus on both the context
conducted under the right conditions it could reduce the of education and the research
influence of peer pressure on young people, as if they are unable issue.
to see the answers given by other respondents then they may be
more truthful in their own answers. In theory therefore this Analysis and application are
means closed questionnaires are a useful method for studying
detailed and appropriate to the
gender and subject choice as they provide both reliable and valid
data. However, it could be argued that if the questionnaire does demands of the question.
not allow the option of “other” as one of the answers and the
opportunity for the student to respond to each question beyond
the constraints of the answers selected by the researcher then it
could potentially undermine the validity of the study and simply
be a reflection of the researcher’s own values in relation to the
issue of gender and subject choice. Students may also feel a sense
that the questionnaire is a bit like a test as it has been given to
them during school time and so they may be under the
impression that there is a “right answer” rather than answering
truthfully and it may be difficult for the researcher to explain to
them that this is not the case.
Another significant disadvantage of using closed questionnaires
as a method for studying gender and subject choice is that it may An evaluative point which
not provide rich enough data to fully explain the reasons behind focuses on the particular
the different subject choices made by males and females research issue and addresses
www.tutor2u.net/sociology Copyright tutor2u Limited / School Network License / Photocopying Permitted
