The Pros and Cons of Social Surveys in Sociological...

The Advantages and Limitations of Social Surveys in Sociological Research To survey something, is to carry out a systematic overview so that a researcher can produce a comprehensive general report on it. Survey method is often used by positivist sociologists seeking to test their hypotheses, and to investigate causes and examine variables. As with every other sociological research, survey has its own advantages and limitations. Positivist research, which is in the scientific tradition, begins with a hypothesis that can be either confirmed or rejected according to the data collected. One of the significant advantages of survey method is that, it can be used to collect data that is a representative†¦show more content†¦Also, since subjective opinions might change from time to time, they are unreliable whereas objective facts can be repeated. This means that to check survey data a researcher can repeat or replicate the survey under the same conditions and guidelines and it will give the same result, therefore it is highly reliable. Another advantage of surveys is that they act as measurement tools. For example Booth and Rowntree were revolutionary social scientists who used the survey method to measure the extent of poverty at the end of the 19th century. In more recent cases, Townsend and Mack and Lansley measured the extent of poverty in modern Britain using the survey method. The thing about surveys is that they act as measurement tools in the sense that they (normally) present data in statistical form. Since numbers are more understandable and at times more believable than words, it is no wonder that surveys help people to see and understand facts – such as the increase or decrease in poverty in a country – better than, for example, lengthy wordy conclusions from observations. 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