the most common example of a ‘macro’ method, although some historical methods can also tackle macro phenomena. Whatever the mode of classification, it is important to remember that it is a matter of convention. The dividing line between different kinds of methods need not be very sharp. It is often possible to convert one kind of method into another, or to supplement one with another.
The choice of method is usually dictated by the nature of the research question being addressed by the preferences of the researcher, and by the constraints of time and/or resources. The recent trend in social science is to advocate the use of multiple methods to bear on the same research problem from different vantage points. This is sometimes referred to as ‘triangulation’, that is, a process of reiterating or pinpointing something from different directions. In this way, different methods can be used to complement each other to produce a much better result than what might have been possible with each method by itself.
Because the methods most distinctive of sociology are those that are designed to produce ‘primary’ data, these are the ones stressed here. Even within the category of ‘field work’ based methods, we shall introduce you to only the most prominent, namely the survey, interview and participant observation. Participant Observation Popular in sociology and specially social anthropology, participant observation refers to a particular method by which sociologist learns about society, culture and people that h/she is studying (Recall the discussion on sociology and social anthropology from Chapter ). This method is different from others in many ways.
Unlike other methods of primary data collection like surveys or interviews, field work involves a long period of interaction with the subjects of research. Typically, the sociologist or social anthropologist spends many months — usually about a year or sometimes more — living among the people being studied as one of them. As a non-native ‘outsider’, the anthropologist is supposed to immerse himself/herself in the culture of the ‘natives’ — by learning their language and participating intimately in their everyday life — in an effort to