Experiments | AQA A-Level Sociology

For Specification 7192

AQA A-Level Sociology | Free Revision Notes

Estimated study time: 40 minutes

exam questions by topic 👇

Experiments are one of the sources of sociological data that AQA requires you to study within Theory and Methods. They must be considered alongside questionnaires, interviews, observation, documents and official statistics, and within the wider context of research design. The specification also requires you to examine the theoretical, practical and ethical considerations that influence methodological choices and the conduct of research.  This Experiments A-Level Sociology revision page explains how to evaluate experimental methods within those specification boundaries.

Learning Objectives 🎯

By the end of this revision page, you should be able to:

• Explain the place of experiments within sociological research.

• Explain how the use of experiments forms part of a wider research design.

• Examine practical considerations affecting experimental research.

• Examine ethical and theoretical considerations associated with experiments.

• Apply these considerations to unfamiliar sociological investigations.

• Evaluate the usefulness of experimental methods for particular research purposes.

These objectives follow Lesson 6 of the Research Methods sequence in the supplied AQA A-Level Sociology plan.

Revision Notes 📚

Experiments A-Level Sociology revision: what does AQA require?

Within A-Level Theory and Methods, AQA requires students to examine:

• quantitative and qualitative methods of research

• research design

• sources of data, including:

  • questionnaires

  • interviews

  • participant and non-participant observation

  • experiments

  • documents

  • official statistics

• primary and secondary data

• quantitative and qualitative data

• the relationship between positivism, interpretivism and sociological methods

• the nature of social facts

• theoretical, practical and ethical considerations influencing:

  • choice of topic

  • choice of method or methods

  • conduct of research.

Experiments therefore need to be understood as one possible methodological choice within a broader sociological investigation.

Your earlier work on planning investigations [Research design] and different forms of sociological evidence [Quantitative and qualitative research] provides the foundation for this lesson.

Experiments as a sociological research method

AQA explicitly includes experiments among the sources of sociological data students must examine.

This means experiments are one possible methodological option available to sociologists.

However, simply recognising the method is not enough at A-Level.

You should be able to consider questions such as:

• Why might a sociologist consider an experiment for this investigation?

• What evidence does the researcher need?

• Does an experimental method fit the purpose of the research?

• What theoretical considerations could influence its use?

• What practical considerations could affect the research?

• What ethical considerations need to be addressed?

• Would another method be more suitable?

📌 Key principle: An experiment should be evaluated in relation to the specific sociological investigation, rather than being labelled automatically useful or unsuitable.

Experiments and research design

The decision to use an experiment forms part of a wider research design.

A sociologist must consider more than simply which research method sounds appropriate.

A research design may involve decisions about:

1. the topic being investigated

2. the sociological evidence required

3. the method or methods to be used

4. the source and form of data

5. theoretical considerations

6. practical considerations

7. ethical considerations

8. how the research will be conducted.

AQA states that consideration of research design, including the strengths and limitations of how evidence has been obtained, should be an integral part of studying Sociology.

This means a good methods answer should connect the experiment to the wider investigation.

Starting with the research purpose

Before evaluating experiments, identify what the sociologist actually wants to discover.

This matters because the appropriateness of any research method depends on its relationship to the research purpose.

For example, imagine a sociologist is investigating an aspect of behaviour within contemporary UK society.

This is an illustrative scenario, not evidence from a real study.

The researcher should first ask:

What kind of evidence would help answer my research question?

Only then should the sociologist consider whether an experiment or another research method would be appropriate.

This prevents a common mistake in research methods, choosing a method first and only afterwards trying to make it fit the investigation.

Experiments and quantitative or qualitative research

AQA separately requires students to understand:

• quantitative and qualitative methods

• quantitative and qualitative data.

The name of a research method and the type of data produced are therefore not the same thing.

Keep these two questions separate:

Which method is being used?

An experiment.

What form does the resulting evidence take?

This must be established from the research design and data described.

The supplied specification does not state that experiments must always produce one particular type of data.

You should therefore avoid assuming that simply identifying an experiment automatically tells you everything about the evidence produced.

Your earlier quantitative and qualitative research [Quantitative and qualitative research] revision is useful here.

Experiments and primary and secondary data

AQA also requires you to distinguish primary and secondary data.

This concerns the source of sociological evidence and should not be confused with the quantitative/qualitative distinction.

A useful revision framework is:

Question	Methodological issue
What method is being used?	Experiment or another research method
What form does the evidence take?	Quantitative or qualitative
Where does the evidence come from?	Primary or secondary
What affects the researcher's choices?	Theoretical, practical and ethical considerations

These distinctions are developed further in primary and secondary data [Primary and secondary data].

Practical considerations and experiments

AQA requires students to examine practical considerations influencing:

• choice of topic

• choice of method or methods

• conduct of research.

A researcher considering an experiment must therefore ask whether the proposed research design is practically workable.

The central relationship is:

practical consideration → methodological decision → conduct of research

For example, practical considerations could affect whether a sociologist decides that an experimental approach can be carried out for the particular topic and research setting.

Ethical considerations and experiments

AQA also requires students to understand the ethical considerations influencing sociological research.

Ethical considerations can affect:

• the topic selected

• the method or methods chosen

• how research is conducted.

Experiments therefore need to be considered ethically as part of the overall research design.

A useful way of thinking about this is:

ethical consideration → decision about experimental research → possible effect on how the research is conducted

The precise ethical issues depend on the investigation.

Theoretical considerations and experiments

The specification also requires students to examine theoretical considerations affecting methodological choices.

This is important because AQA additionally requires knowledge of:

• positivism

• interpretivism

• sociological methods

• the nature of social facts

• the relationship between theory and methods.

Research methods are therefore connected to broader sociological theory.

A useful general relationship is:

theoretical approach → methodological priorities → research-method choice

Theoretical considerations could consequently influence whether a sociologist regards an experiment as suitable for a particular investigation.

However, the supplied specification does not state that experiments belong exclusively to one sociological perspective.

Avoid simply writing:

"Experiments are positivist."

without developing the relationship between the theoretical approach, the evidence required and the actual research design.

These relationships are developed in positivism and social facts [Positivism and social facts], interpretivism and sociological methods [Interpretivism and sociological methods] and later the relationship between theory and methods [The relationship between theory and methods].

How theoretical, practical and ethical considerations work together

The three categories should not be learnt as three disconnected lists.

Suppose a sociologist is considering using an experiment.

They should ask:

Theoretical

Does an experimental approach fit the researcher's wider methodological priorities?

Practical

Can the proposed investigation be conducted in the way the researcher intends?

Ethical

Are there ethical considerations that could affect the choice or conduct of the research?

These considerations may interact.

For example, a method that appears attractive for theoretical reasons might be affected by practical or ethical considerations.

This is why research design involves making connected decisions.

Evaluating the usefulness of experiments

To evaluate experiments effectively, begin with the investigation rather than the method.

A useful framework is:

1. Identify the research purpose

What does the sociologist want to investigate?

2. Identify the required evidence

What kind of sociological data would help answer the research question?

3. Consider experimental research

Would an experiment provide evidence relevant to the purpose?

4. Examine theoretical considerations

How might sociological theory influence the decision?

5. Examine practical considerations

Could practical factors affect whether or how the research is carried out?

6. Examine ethical considerations

Could ethical issues affect the research design or conduct?

7. Compare another method

Would a questionnaire, interview, observation or another method better suit the investigation?

8. Reach a judgement

Decide how useful the experimental method would be for that particular research purpose.

💡 Exam tip: Evaluation is stronger when every strength or limitation ends by explaining its consequence for the investigation. Avoid writing a detached list of methodological points.

Experiments compared with questionnaires

Both experiments and questionnaire research [Questionnaires] appear in AQA's required methods content.

A useful comparison asks:

Why might the researcher select one method rather than the other for the evidence they need?

You can then consider:

• research purpose

• theoretical considerations

• practical considerations

• ethical considerations.

Do not state that one is universally superior.

The appropriate choice depends on the investigation.

Experiments compared with interviews

AQA also requires interview research [Interviews].

When comparing experiments with interviews, begin by considering:

• what the sociologist wants to discover

• what evidence is needed

• which design better serves that purpose

• which theoretical, practical and ethical factors affect each option.

A strong comparison therefore explains the consequences of choosing each method rather than merely naming them.

Experiments compared with observation

Your previous work on participant and non-participant observation [Participant and non-participant observation] provides another useful comparison.

Observation and experiments are both possible methods within sociological research, but their suitability must be evaluated according to the particular investigation.

Ask:

Why has the sociologist considered an experiment rather than observing the social situation?

Then develop the answer by referring to the research purpose and relevant methodological considerations.

Experiments and other sources of evidence

The next stages of the Research Methods sequence examine documents [Documents] and official statistics [Official statistics].

As you study each method, build up comparisons rather than memorising each one separately.

AQA requires an understanding of a range of research methods, and students are expected to evaluate sociological methodology as part of the qualification.

This means good revision should repeatedly ask:

What would this method allow a sociologist to investigate, and why might another method be chosen instead?

Experiments in educational research

AQA also requires students to apply sociological research methods to the study of education through Methods in Context.

The supplied lesson plan therefore includes a separate lesson on experiments applied to education [Experiments in educational research].

Keep the two areas distinct:

• this lesson concerns experiments as a general sociological research method

• Methods in Context requires you to apply methodological reasoning specifically to researching education.

📌 Exam advice: When a context is provided, do not simply reproduce a generic paragraph about experiments. Explain why your methodological point matters for the specific group, setting or issue being researched.

Experiments and the assessment objectives

AQA assesses three assessment objectives at A-Level:

• AO1: demonstrate knowledge and understanding of sociological theories, concepts, evidence and research methods

• AO2: apply sociological theories, concepts, evidence and research methods to a range of issues

• AO3: analyse and evaluate sociological theories, concepts, evidence and research methods in order to present arguments, make judgements and draw conclusions.

For experimental research:

AO1

Show accurate understanding of experiments as one of AQA's required sociological research methods.

AO2

Apply experimental research to the particular sociological investigation described.

AO3

Analyse theoretical, practical and ethical considerations before making a reasoned judgement about usefulness.

A useful progression is:

identify → explain → apply → evaluate → judge

Key Words 🔑

Key word	Student-friendly definition	How it may be used in an exam
Experiment	One of the sources or methods of sociological research explicitly required by the AQA specification.	Evaluate whether experimental research is appropriate for a particular investigation.
Research design	The wider planning of how sociological research will be carried out.	Explain how experiment choice fits into the overall investigation.
Research method	An approach used within sociological research to obtain or use evidence.	Compare experiments with questionnaires, interviews or observation.
Quantitative data	Sociological data expressed numerically.	Distinguish the form of evidence from the method used.
Qualitative data	Non-numerical sociological data.	Analyse the form of evidence separately from research method.
Theoretical considerations	Theoretical factors influencing research choices and conduct.	Explain how sociological theory may affect the decision to use experiments.
Practical considerations	Practical factors affecting research decisions and conduct.	Assess whether an experimental design is workable.
Ethical considerations	Ethical factors influencing research topic, method or conduct.	Explain how ethics could affect experimental research.
Positivism	A sociological approach whose relationship to sociological methods is required by AQA.	Use when examining theoretical influences on methodological choices.
Interpretivism	A sociological approach whose relationship to sociological methods is required by AQA.	Use when comparing theoretical approaches to research methods.

Common Mistakes ⚠️

Mistake: Treating experiments as separate from research design

Why this is incorrect: The choice of an experiment is only one part of planning sociological research.

How to improve:

Connect experimental research to:

• the research topic

• evidence required

• theoretical considerations

• practical considerations

• ethical considerations.

Mistake: Assuming the research method automatically determines the type of data

Why this is incorrect: AQA separately requires students to understand research methods and the distinction between quantitative and qualitative data.

How to improve:

Ask separately:

1. Which method has been used?

2. What form does the resulting evidence take?

Mistake: Treating experiments as automatically linked to one sociological perspective

Why this is incorrect: AQA requires students to examine the relationship between positivism, interpretivism and methods, but the supplied specification does not state that experiments belong exclusively to one perspective.

How to improve: Explain why a theoretical approach might influence the choice of method rather than simply attaching a label.

Mistake: Listing practical, ethical and theoretical considerations

Why this is incorrect: Naming the categories does not demonstrate how they influence research.

How to improve: Develop each point using:

consideration → effect on methodological choice → consequence for research

Mistake: Giving an advantage or disadvantage without referring to the research purpose

Why this is incorrect: A method can be more or less appropriate depending on what the sociologist wants to investigate.

How to improve: Finish evaluative points with:

This would make the experiment more/less useful for this investigation because...

Mistake: Assuming experiments are always better or worse than other methods

Why this is incorrect: AQA requires sociologists to consider a range of methods and the factors affecting methodological choices.

How to improve: Compare experimental research with another plausible method before reaching a judgement.

Mistake: Adding unsupported experimental terminology

Why this is incorrect: The supplied specification identifies experiments as required content but does not provide a detailed list of experimental types, procedures or specialist concepts.

How to improve: Keep claims within the approved course material and specification boundary.

Exam-Style Questions ✍️

Question 1

Identify one research method included in AQA's Theory and Methods content. (1 mark)

Question 2

Identify the three categories of consideration that AQA requires sociologists to examine when choosing and conducting research. (3 marks)

Question 3

Explain why choosing an experiment should be considered as part of a wider research design. (4 marks)

Question 4

A sociologist is considering using an experiment to investigate an aspect of social behaviour.

Explain two factors that could influence the researcher's decision about whether to use this method. (6 marks)

Question 5

Explain why identifying an experiment does not by itself tell a sociologist whether the resulting data are quantitative or qualitative. (4 marks)

Question 6

A sociologist is considering an experimental method for researching an aspect of education.

Explain how one practical consideration and one ethical consideration could influence the design or conduct of the research. (6 marks)

Question 7

Explain how theoretical considerations may influence a sociologist's decision about whether to use experiments. (4 marks)

Question 8

Evaluate the usefulness of experimental methods in sociological research. (10 marks)

Answers and mark scheme

Question 1: Research method (1 mark)

Accept any method or source explicitly listed in the specification, including:

• experiments

• questionnaires

• interviews

• participant observation

• non-participant observation

• documents

• official statistics.

Example answer:

Experiments.

Question 2: Considerations affecting research (3 marks)

Award one mark for each:

• theoretical

• practical

• ethical.

Question 3: Experiments and research design (4 marks)

Credit answers explaining that:

• research design concerns planning a sociological investigation

• an experiment is only one methodological option

• the researcher must consider the purpose and evidence required

• theoretical, practical and ethical considerations may influence the choice

• these considerations may also affect the conduct of research.

Example answer:

Choosing an experiment is only one decision within research design. A sociologist also needs to consider what they want to investigate, what evidence they need and whether theoretical, practical and ethical factors make an experimental approach suitable for the study.

Question 4: Factors affecting the choice (6 marks)

Award credit for two developed factors.

Supported areas include:

• purpose of the investigation

• evidence required

• theoretical considerations

• practical considerations

• ethical considerations

• possible alternative research methods.

For each factor, reward explanation of how it influences the decision to use an experiment.

Example answer:

One factor is the evidence required. The sociologist should consider whether experimental research will provide evidence that answers the research question. Another factor is ethics because ethical considerations could influence whether the proposed research can be conducted in the intended way.

Question 5: Method and form of data (4 marks)

Credit answers recognising that:

• an experiment identifies the research method

• quantitative and qualitative describe different forms of sociological data

• AQA lists these as distinct areas of Research Methods

• identifying the method alone therefore does not fully classify the resulting data.

Example answer:

An experiment describes a method used within sociological research, whereas quantitative and qualitative describe the form of the data. The researcher therefore needs to examine the evidence produced rather than assuming its form simply from the method's name.

Question 6: Practical and ethical considerations (6 marks)

Award credit for:

• identifying practical considerations as relevant to experimental research

• explaining how they could influence the choice or conduct of the study

• applying this to researching education

and:

• identifying ethical considerations

• explaining how they could influence the choice or conduct of the research

• applying the point to the investigation.

Question 7: Theoretical considerations (4 marks)

Credit answers explaining that:

• theoretical considerations can influence research-method choice

• AQA requires the relationship between positivism, interpretivism and sociological methods

• researchers' theoretical approaches can therefore affect methodological decisions

• this may influence whether an experiment is judged appropriate.

Example answer:

Theoretical considerations may influence what kind of evidence a sociologist considers appropriate and therefore which method is selected. AQA requires students to examine the relationship between positivism, interpretivism and sociological methods, so decisions about experiments may form part of this wider relationship between theory and method.

Question 8: Evaluate experiments (10 marks)

A strong response should evaluate experimental methods in relation to the purpose and design of the sociological investigation.

Relevant supported content includes:

• experiments are one of AQA's required sources of sociological data

• choosing an experiment forms part of research design

• the evidence required should influence methodological choice

• theoretical considerations may influence whether experiments are selected

• practical considerations may affect choice and conduct

• ethical considerations may affect choice and conduct

• experimental research can be compared with questionnaires, interviews, observation, documents and official statistics

• usefulness depends on the particular investigation

• a reasoned judgement should be reached.

Example concluding judgement:

Experiments are one possible method within sociological research, but their usefulness depends on how well the method fits the purpose and overall research design. A sociologist should therefore consider the evidence required, theoretical priorities, practical issues and ethical considerations, as well as possible alternative methods, before deciding whether an experimental approach is appropriate.