This document provides a critique of a study conducted by a 16-year-old student investigating the hypothesis that media causes violent behavior. The critique finds faults with the student's methodology, including the use of limited and unsuitable questionnaire questions that do not allow for qualitative data or correlation between media consumption and aggression. Additionally, the sampling method of snowball sampling through the student's father's workplace introduces biases and the sample size is unrealistic. Secondary sources used are also deemed unreliable and out of date.

1. Analysisof Investigation1
Investigation1is a studyby a 16 year oldmale GCSE Sociologystudent,carriedoutin2012 in
Glasgow. Itshypothesisis‘The mediacausesviolentbehaviour’.
Fault with Questionnaires
He decidedtouse a questionnaire.Thisisa goodwayof gettingdata,however,ithasits
disadvantages.Some people cannotbe botheredtocompleteit(due tolackof effort),limited
sample size,dishonesty, ordon’thave enoughtime (are busywithwork orothercommitments). His
questionnaire foryoungpeopleonlyhastwoopenquestionssohe doesn’thave muchqualitative
data.
One question‘Inyourviewyour,whatpartdidthe mediaplayinencouraginghe riotsinAugust
2011?’ isunsuitable forthe younggeneration,evensome adultswouldstruggletoanswerthis.The
questionaboutGovernmentisunsuitable foryoungpeople,again,asmost8 yearoldsdo not
understandpolitics.The thirdquestionaskingaboutfavouritecomputergamesistoogeneric.
He doesn’taskaboutthe otherformsof mediahe islookingat.It’stoo restrictive. The questions
aren’tlookingatthe consequencesof violence,he cannotfindoutanycorrelationasnone of the
questionsare trulydefininghowaggressive people are or not.There is nocause andeffect.
In the adultquestionnaire,the focusistooheavyoncomputergamesandfilmsandhe ignoresthe
othertypesof mediasuchas advertsand magazines.He hasdistortedthe range of questions.He
needsmore openquestions toexploreanswersinfurtherdepth.There isno‘how’questions.There
are an abundance of closedquestions,whichsupplylittle information.There isnoideaof how often
people watchthe TV,forexample.He doesn’tknow exactlyhow aggressive theirchildrenare.
Look at Secondary Sources
Source A looksat the MediaLiteracyrates of childreninthe UK. It’sout of date,so has no significant
relevance,andjustshowsthe percentage of consumersontheirphonesordevices(notwhatthey
are actuallydoingonit,anythingviolentornon-violent).The source comparesthe years2005 and
2008. The gap betweenthemistoobig;itneedstobe testedmore regularly.
Source B ison the riots,publishedfromthe newspaperThe DailyMirror.It’sa tabloid,unserious
paperso isuntrustworthy.Newspapersare generallymore opinion-based.Statistical researchisa
more reliable method.
Only usesone Sampling method
He onlyusesone samplingmethod:Snowball Sampling.Disadvantagesof thismethodare
communitybias,randomselectionandvague overall samplingsize.He askshisdadto handthem
out at hislocal workingmen’sclubone night.Thisisa bad ideaasthe sort of people atthat place are
unlikelytorespond. Itwill be predominantlymensothiswill leadtogenderbias.Mostof themwill
be workingclass,sothere is alsoclassbias.It wouldbe betterif he targetsage ranges andvisited
differentrichandpoor areas. Also,8 year oldsare a bad targetaudience astheydon’tknow the
mediaandhave little experience inviolence. He hopestoget’50 adults’to complete a
questionnaire,anunrealistictarget.Histargetaudience iswrongandunsuited.