Points to remember
The following are the major points introduced in this chapter. Ensure that you are very confident with their meaning, content, context and significance.
1
Methods of data collection are often generic tools that can be employed in a
variety of methodological contexts.
2
Experiments involve the measurement of effects on a subject by controlling
environmental factors and conditions.
3
Environmental factors and conditions are controlled through ruling out, closing
off or controlling for a set of factors and conditions.
4
Experiments follow a set of steps. In a typical case experimentation involves a
pre-test, a test and a post-test.
5
Sampling in experiments is accomplished by means of randomisation, subject
matching and group matching.
6
There are several experimental designs employed in social research. Although
they differ from each other, they all fall within the parameters of the standard
research model introduced earlier in this volume.
7
Field experiments are new in social research but are a growing method.
8
The validity of experiments depends on a number of factors, some of which relate
to maturation, conditioning and instrumentation, and others to the history
effect, changes in samples, interaction, sampling, ecology, modelling or what is
known as the Hawthorne effect.
9
Focus groups are usually employed in the areas of social work and less in other
social sciences.
10 Focus
groups facilitate collection of data by means of group discussion.
11 Group
discussion is affected by a number of problems but if carefully employed can be
a useful tool of data collection.
12 Panel
samples include a number of respondents chosen in a systematic way and subjected
to data collection on more than one occasion.