Understanding Research Methods

Year 11 Society and Culture – NSW Syllabus

Curriculum Area: HSC Society and Culture – Preliminary Course
Syllabus Link:

• The Social and Cultural World: Studying Society
• Core Focus: Personal and Social Research
• Syllabus Outcome:
  • P3: Identifies and analyses relationships between individuals, societies, cultures and environments in a variety of contexts.
  • P5: Investigates power, authority, gender and technology and evaluates their impact on decision-making and participation in society.
  • P9: Applies appropriate research methodologies.

Lesson Overview

Duration: 80 minutes
Topic: The Differences Between Quantitative and Qualitative Research
Class Size: 15 Students
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this lesson, students will:
✅ Understand the key differences between quantitative and qualitative research.
✅ Identify examples of each type and how they are used in Society and Culture.
✅ Analyse the benefits and limitations of both research methods in social research.
✅ Apply their understanding by completing short answer and long answer tasks.

Lesson Breakdown

1. Warm-Up Activity – Social Investigation (10 Mins)

Objective: Activate prior knowledge and encourage critical thinking about research.

Instructions:

• Write two questions on the board:
  1. How many hours do students spend on their phones each day?
  2. Why do students prefer social media over traditional news?
• Discuss as a class:
  • Which question would require a survey or statistical data? (Quantitative research)
  • Which question would require interviews or open-ended discussions? (Qualitative research)
  • Students divide into pairs and try to think of other similar research questions.
• Teacher explains: Today, we will be diving into these two research methods and understanding how and why they are used in Society and Culture.

---

2. Direct Instruction – Explanation of Key Concepts (20 Mins)

Key Terms to Define:

• Quantitative Research – Research that collects numerical data which can be measured and analysed statistically.
• Qualitative Research – Research that collects non-numerical data to understand social phenomena through in-depth insights.

Comparison Table

Feature	Quantitative Research	Qualitative Research
Definition	Data in numerical form	Data in descriptive, open-ended form
Examples	Surveys, statistical analysis, census data	Interviews, focus groups, case studies
Purpose	Measuring and analysing trends	Understanding personal experiences
Data Type	Numbers, graphs, percentages	Words, themes, emotions
Strengths	Objective, large sample sizes	In-depth, captures human experiences
Limitations	Lacks depth, may miss social context	Small sample size, subjective

3. Video – Real-World Research Examples (10 Mins)

• Video Title: Quantitative vs. Qualitative Research in the Real World
• Duration: ~5 minutes
• Content: A short, engaging video showcasing how real-world researchers use different methods in fields like sociology, health, and education.
• Post-Video Questions for Discussion:
  • Which method did the researchers use in the video?
  • What were the advantages of their chosen method?
  • If they had used the opposite method, how would their findings have changed?

---

4. Group Activity – Research Method Classification (15 Mins)

Objective: Reinforce understanding by applying knowledge to real-world examples.

Instructions:

1. Teacher hands out a worksheet with various research scenarios.
2. Students, in small groups (3-4 students per group), must decide for each scenario:
   • Is this research quantitative or qualitative?
   • Justify their answers with one sentence.
3. Examples of scenarios in the worksheet:
   • A university wants to understand the voting preferences of young Australians.
   • A sociologist interviews refugees about their experience migrating to Australia.
   • A company tracks the number of people purchasing sustainable products.
4. After 10 minutes, each group will share one answer with the class and discuss.

---

5. Individual Writing Task – Reflection & Application (10 Mins)

• Short Answer Question:
  • Describe two differences between quantitative and qualitative research. Provide examples for each.
• Long Answer Question:
  • Discuss a social issue (e.g., homelessness, gender inequality, climate change). Which research method would be better for understanding this issue – quantitative or qualitative? Justify your response.
• Students complete their responses independently, followed by 5 minutes of class discussion.

---

6. Homework Task – Research Investigation (5 Mins)

• Task:
  • Choose a specific social issue relevant to Australia (e.g., Indigenous health outcomes, youth unemployment, impact of social media).
  • Design one quantitative research question and one qualitative research question.
  • Write a short paragraph explaining which method would be most effective for studying that issue and why.
• Students will submit their responses in the next lesson for feedback.

---

Assessment and Evaluation

✅ Class Participation: Active involvement in discussions and group activities.
✅ Worksheet Completion: Correct identification of research methods.
✅ Short & Long Answer Responses: Demonstrates understanding and provides justification using evidence.
✅ Homework Task: Application of learning to an independent research question.

---

Resources and Materials

• Whiteboard & Markers
• Printed Worksheets (for classification activity and writing responses)
• Video: Quantitative vs. Qualitative Research in the Real World
• Research Method Comparison Table (can be displayed on screen or printed as a reference sheet)

---

Extension Task (Optional for High-Achieving Students)

• Research a specific Australian study (e.g., ABS Census Data, Indigenous Wellbeing Reports, Social Media Impact Studies).
• Identify whether the study used qualitative or quantitative research.
• Write a critical analysis of why that research method was chosen.

---

Final Thought

This lesson will give students a solid foundation in research methodologies while connecting them to real-world applications. By using a mix of discussion, hands-on activities, video analysis, and writing tasks, students will engage deeply and build confidence in their ability to analyse and evaluate research approaches—a vital skill for the HSC Society and Culture course.