Doing Good Research (Years 10–11) — Sociology

Good research is reliable, valid, representative and ethical, avoiding bias so its findings can be trusted.

Collecting data is only half the job. To be trusted, research must be careful, fair and honest — this is the mark of good sociology.

Why this matters Untrustworthy research can spread false ideas and harm the people studied. Strong standards protect both the truth and the participants.

Reliability and validity

These two ideas are often confused but are different.

Reliability means that if the study were repeated, it would give the same results. A well-structured questionnaire is usually reliable.
Validity means the data truly measures what it claims to. Deep interviews and observation often produce valid data because they capture real feelings and behaviour.

Ideally research is both, but methods can be strong in one and weaker in the other.

Reliable means repeated results cluster together; valid means they cluster on the true target. Data can be reliable without being valid.

Representativeness

Research is representative when the sample reflects the wider population. If a study of a whole city only asked people from one street, its findings could not fairly be applied to everyone. A larger, well-chosen sample improves representativeness.

Common exam mistake: confusing representativeness with reliability. Representativeness is about whether the sample reflects the wider population; reliability is about whether the method would give the same results if repeated. A study can be reliable but not representative, or representative but not reliable.

Research ethics

Sociologists study real people, so they must act responsibly. Key ethical rules include:

Informed consent: participants should agree to take part and know what the study involves.
Confidentiality: personal information and identities should be kept private.
Protection from harm: participants should not be put at risk or distress.
Honesty: researchers should not deceive people unless there is a very strong reason and safeguards.

Avoiding bias

Bias is when a researcher's own opinions unfairly shape the results — for example, by asking leading questions that push people towards a certain answer. Good researchers stay objective, word questions neutrally, and report findings honestly even when the results surprise them. This keeps sociology fair and trustworthy.

Exam technique: in a question on ethics, name specific safeguards — informed consent, confidentiality, protection from harm — rather than simply asserting the study ‘was ethical’; examiners reward precise, applied vocabulary.