One app for all your study abroad needs
Sociology uses systematic methods to study social phenomena scientifically. NCERT Class 11 Sociology Chapter 5, Doing Sociology: Research Methods, from Introducing Sociology, explores how sociologists gather knowledge, emphasising empirical data and the insider’s perspective. These notes summarise key concepts, clarify research techniques, and aid revision for Class 11 students.
Table of Contents
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Some Methodological Issues
- 3 Multiple Methods and Choice of Methods
- 4 Participant Observation
- 5 Field Work in Social Anthropology
- 6 Field Work in Sociology
- 7 Some Limitations of Participant Observation
- 8 Surveys
- 9 Interview
- 10 Important Definitions in NCERT Class 11 Sociology Chapter 5: Doing Sociology: Research Methods
- 11 FAQs
Explore Notes of Class 11: Introducing Sociology
Introduction
This section explains why sociology is a social science, highlighting the importance of method in studying familiar social phenomena.
- Definition: Sociology is a social science because it uses systematic methods to gather knowledge about social groups, institutions, norms, and relationships.
- Characteristics:
- Focuses on lived experiences, seeking both outsider and insider perspectives (e.g., meanings of friendship or religious rituals).
- Differs from common sense as sociologists acquire knowledge through rigorous procedures, not personal experience alone.
- Emphasises method as the key element distinguishing sociologists from laypersons.
- Significance: Methods enable sociologists to study social phenomena scientifically, understanding people’s opinions and feelings.
- Example: A sociologist studying bargaining in markets examines not just observable actions but also the interpretations of shopkeepers and customers.
Some Methodological Issues
This section discusses challenges in achieving objectivity and the complexities of studying humans in the social world.
- Definition: Methodological issues involve general problems in scientific knowledge-gathering, such as bias and the researcher’s social context.
- Characteristics:
- Objectivity vs. Subjectivity: Objectivity means unbiased, fact-based knowledge; subjectivity involves personal values. Sociology struggles with objectivity as researchers are part of the social world they study.
- Bias arises from researchers’ social identities (e.g., family experiences or societal prejudices about caste/religion).
- Reflexivity: Sociologists examine their own biases and adopt others’ perspectives to reduce bias.
- Documentation and citing sources ensure transparency, allowing others to verify research.
- Multiple truths exist in the social world, with no single correct interpretation (e.g., differing views on a “good” price).
- Sociology is multi-paradigmatic, with competing schools of thought coexisting.
- Significance: Reflexivity and transparency help address bias, making sociological knowledge more reliable.
- Example: A sociologist studying a different caste community may be influenced by societal attitudes, but can mitigate this through self-reflexivity.
Multiple Methods and Choice of Methods
This section explores the variety of sociological methods and factors guiding their selection.
Important Notes:
- Definition: Sociologists use multiple methods (e.g., surveys, interviews, participant observation) to study social phenomena, chosen based on the research question.
- Characteristics:
- No single method is universally best; each has strengths and weaknesses.
- Quantitative vs. Qualitative: Quantitative methods (e.g., surveys) deal with measurable data; qualitative methods (e.g., interviews) focus on attitudes and emotions.
- Primary vs. Secondary: Primary methods (e.g., interviews) generate new data; secondary methods (e.g., historical records) use existing data.
- Micro vs. Macro: Micro methods (e.g., interviews) suit small settings; macro methods (e.g., surveys) study large populations.
- Triangulation: Using multiple methods to study the same problem from different angles improves results.
- Method choice depends on the research question, researcher preferences, and constraints like time or resources.
- Significance: Diverse methods ensure flexibility and comprehensive understanding of social issues.
- Example: A census or survey is ideal for studying joint family prevalence, while interviews suit exploring women’s status in families.
Participant Observation
This section describes participant observation as a method where sociologists immerse themselves in the studied community.
- Definition: Participant observation involves living among the studied group for an extended period (often a year or more) to learn their culture and way of life.
- Characteristics:
- Differs from surveys or interviews by requiring long-term interaction.
- The researcher becomes an “insider” by learning the language and participating in daily life, aiming to understand the “whole way of life.”
- Models a child’s holistic learning, capturing both explicit and implicit knowledge.
- Often called “field work,” a term borrowed from natural sciences like botany.
- Significance: Provides deep, insider perspectives on social and cultural practices.
- Example: A sociologist living in a community learns about its festivals and family relations by participating in daily activities.
Also Read:
- NCERT Solutions Class 8 Civics Chapter 3 Parliament and the Making of Laws (Free PDF)
- NCERT Class 8 History Chapter 3 Ruling the Countryside Notes
This section explains how fieldwork became central to social anthropology, detailing its techniques.
- Definition: Fieldwork in anthropology involves rigorous, first-hand observation and participation in a community to produce scientific knowledge.
- Characteristics:
- Early anthropologists relied on second-hand accounts (e.g., James Frazer’s The Golden Bough), but systematic fieldwork became standard by the 1920s.
- Techniques include conducting a census, mapping the community, and constructing genealogies to understand kinship systems.
- Anthropologists live among the community, learn the language, and observe daily life, festivals, and rituals.
- Informants: Key community members act as teachers, providing crucial information.
- Detailed field notes or diaries are maintained daily to record observations.
- Significance: Fieldwork established anthropology as a social science, offering authentic insights into communities.
- Example: An anthropologist mapping a village and tracing family trees learns how kinship roles shape social interactions.
Field Work in Sociology
This section discusses how sociologists use fieldwork, particularly in diverse settings like villages.
- Definition: Sociological fieldwork involves living among or spending significant time with a community to study its social life.
- Characteristics:
- Similar to anthropological fieldwork but conducted in varied settings (e.g., urban slums, factories, villages).
- May not always involve “living in” but requires extensive time with the community.
- In India, village studies were prominent in the 1950s, as villages were seen as key to understanding Indian society.
- Village studies were preferred over tribal studies, which were associated with colonial biases in anthropology.
- Fieldwork suited India’s rural focus post-independence, aligning with government and nationalist interests in village development.
- Significance: Fieldwork provides contextual knowledge, crucial for studying India’s diverse societies.
- Example: William Foote Whyte’s Street Corner Society involved living in an Italian-American slum to study gang dynamics.
Some Limitations of Participant Observation
This section outlines the weaknesses of participant observation despite its strengths.
- Definition: Participant observation’s limitations include its limited scope, potential bias, and one-sided researcher-respondent relationship.
- Characteristics:
- Limited Scope: Covers only a small community (e.g., one village), making it hard to generalise findings to larger populations.
- Bias Risk: The researcher’s perspective may dominate, as only their version is recorded, raising questions about whose voice is represented.
- One-Sided Relationship: The researcher controls questions and presentation, with respondents having little input.
- Time-Intensive: Requires long-term, solitary effort, unlike quicker methods like surveys.
- Solutions: Dialogic formats (e.g., translating research for community feedback) can reduce bias and involve respondents.
- Significance: Recognising limitations encourages more democratic and rigorous research practices.
- Example: A study of one village’s caste dynamics may not reflect regional patterns, limiting its generalizability.
Surveys
This section explores surveys as a method for studying large populations using representative samples.
- Definition: A survey provides an overview of a population by collecting data from a carefully chosen sample of respondents.
- Characteristics:
- Conducted by teams, with researchers designing the study and investigators collecting data.
- Questions are asked orally, in writing (questionnaires), or electronically (e.g., online forms).
- Sampling: Uses stratification (representing population sub-groups) and randomisation (chance-based selection) to ensure representativeness.
- Advantages: Generalises findings to large populations with minimal time and cost; provides an aggregated view of social issues.
- Disadvantages: Lacks depth, cannot ask sensitive questions, and risks non-sampling errors (e.g., inconsistent questioning).
- Sampling Error: Small differences between sample and population characteristics, reported as a margin of error.
- Significance: Surveys are ideal for studying broad trends and patterns visible at the population level.
- Example: A survey of rural villages tests whether smaller communities have greater harmony than larger ones.
Also Read:
- NCERT CBSE Chapter 1 Development Class 10 Notes (Free PDF)
- NCERT CBSE Class 10 Chapter 3 Economics Notes: Money and Credit (Free PDF)
Interview
This section describes interviews as a flexible method for gathering in-depth, qualitative data.
- Definition: An interview is a guided conversation between a researcher and a respondent, balancing structure and flexibility.
- Characteristics:
- Flexibility: Questions can be rephrased, reordered, or extended based on the conversation’s progress.
- Styles: Vary from loosely structured (topic checklist) to structured (specific questions).
- Recording: Options include video/audio, note-taking, or memory-based write-ups, each with trade-offs (e.g., recorders may make respondents uneasy).
- Presentation: Transcripts may be edited for clarity or retain original conversational flow.
- Use: Often supplements surveys or participant observation, adding depth (e.g., with key informants).
- Disadvantages: Unstable due to mood swings or lapses in concentration; requires rapport and skill.
- Significance: Interviews provide detailed, subjective insights, complementing other methods.
- Example: An interview with a worker clarifies survey findings about workplace satisfaction.
Important Definitions in NCERT Class 11 Sociology Chapter 5: Doing Sociology: Research Methods
This section lists key definitions from Chapter 5 for clarity and revision. It will help you understand all the important concepts and terms of this chapter.
- Sociological Research: Systematic study of social phenomena using scientific methods and empirical data.
- Methodological Issues: General problems in knowledge-gathering, such as bias and studying self-aware humans.
- Objectivity: Unbiased, fact-based knowledge, challenging in sociology due to researchers’ social context.
- Reflexivity: Self-examination of a researcher’s biases and perspectives to improve research validity.
- Participant Observation: Long-term immersion in a community to learn its culture and way of life.
- Fieldwork: Direct study of a community through observation, participation, or interviews.
- Survey: A method of collecting data from a representative sample to generalise findings to a population.
- Interview: A guided conversation eliciting in-depth, qualitative responses.
- Sampling: Selecting a representative subset of a population using stratification and randomisation.
Explore Notes of Class 11: Introducing Sociology
Download the Solutions of Other Chapters of Class 11 Sociology
Related Reads
Explore Notes of Other Subjects of NCERT Class 11
| English | Sociology | Business Studies | Economics | History |
FAQs
Why is method important in sociology?
Method distinguishes sociology as a social science, enabling systematic, empirical study of familiar social phenomena (e.g., understanding friendship meanings through rigorous procedures).
How do sociologists address bias in research?
Sociologists use reflexivity to examine their biases, document procedures transparently, and acknowledge their social background to alert readers to potential bias (e.g., reflecting on caste prejudices).
What is the difference between surveys and interviews?
Surveys collect standardised, quantitative data from large samples to generalise trends, while interviews gather in-depth, qualitative data through flexible conversations (e.g., surveys quantify unemployment rates; interviews explore jobless experiences).
For NCERT study material, follow NCERT Notes and Solutions Class 11 Sociology by Leverage Edu now.
