Qualitative Research Methods: Test

Please answer 2 questions.

Read the questions carefully. Before answering the questions, spend a few minutes to make some brief notes.
Only authorised dictionaries should be used during the examination.
If you require more writing paper or have any queries, please raise your hand.
Please allow sufficient time to complete two questions (40 minutes for each question).

Students will not be allowed to leave the room 15 minutes before the end of the examination. If you have any spare time, check over your answers.

1. ‘Positivism and empiricism cannot provide the philosophical basis for social research’. Assess this statement.

2. Examine the different perspectives on the relationship between social theory and social research.

3. Assess the contribution of feminism to social research.

4. Discuss how official statistics are socially constructed.

5. Describe the strengths and weaknesses of the different types of interview.