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Fulcher and Scott: Sociology 3e

Chapter 03

Qualidata

http://www.qualidata.essex.ac.uk

Based at the University of Essex and funded by the ESRC, this archive collects and disseminates qualitative data from a wide range of research projects. You can use the 'Qualicat' catalogue to search for data on a particular topic, or locate datasets from some of the classic studies in sociology. Well worth exploring on a wet and windy afternoon!



The ESRC Data Archive

http://www.data-archive.ac.uk/

Also housed at the University of Essex, this archive contains a wider selection of quantitative data from social science research. You can browse the catalogue to find abstracts and methodological details of each study, and registered users can order a copy of the original data sets. There is also a bank of data from the major national surveys, including the British Crime Survey and the Social Attitudes Survey.



Sociological Research Online

http://www.socresonline.org.uk/

This is a journal about research methods that is published online. You can search the catalogue for articles on any aspect of research design and methodology, and read them on the web pages. The journal is published quarterly every year and it is a good way of keeping up to date with current trends in social research.



Social Research Update

http://www.soc.surrey.ac.uk/sru/sru.html

Another online store of articles about research methods, published and maintained by the Department of Sociology at the University of Surrey. The articles are relatively short, and the website is easy to navigate. It contains accounts of new and less conventional methods, such as visual ethnography and Internet-based research, alongside a number of other substantive issues in methodology.



A Sociological Tour Through Cyberspace: Data Resources, Research Methods and Research Statistics

http://www.trinity.edu/mkearl/methods.html

A fantastic 'meta-site' which contains directs you to a wide range of other websites related to research methodology. There are sections on quantitative data and statistics, qualitative strategies, writing and referencing and data analysis. This is an invaluable companion for anyone who wants to find out more about a particular method or approach, and a good starting point for learning about research design in general.



Bryman’s Social Research Methods companion website

http://www.oxfordtextbooks.co.uk/orc/brymansrm2e/

This is the companion website to Alan Bryman’s textbook, Social Research Methods (2nd edition). Like this website, it provides resources for lecturers and students to accompany each chapter of the book: there are case studies, multiple choice questions, weblinks and a lecturer’s guide. You may find it helpful if you want to find out more about a particular research method. The chapter topics include methods such as questionnaires, interviews, observation, focus groups, documentary analysis and content analysis, but the book also addresses issues of sampling, research design, ethics and data analysis (both qualitative and quantitative). An additional feature you might find particularly helpful is the ‘Methods and Study Skills Toolkit’, which provides ‘FAQ’ style short answers to some of the most common questions you might have about designing your own research project.