A one-page revision sheet for this chapter, a practical project-planning guide, not a theory chapter. Read the full notes for the worked examples and explanations.
Unit 7, “Suggestions for Project Work”: “Non-evaluative” in the 80-mark theory paper. Project Work: 20 marks, made up of the project, 15 (Introduction 2, Statement of Purpose 2, Research Question 2, Methodology 3, Data Analysis 4, Conclusion 2), and a viva, 5. Other boards: check your own board’s syllabus.
1The One Rule
“One of the first tasks of the researcher, after carefully specifying the research question, is to select a suitable method.”
NCERT, Indian Society, Chapter 7
2The Four Methods, at a Glance
| Method | Definition | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Survey | Fixed questions to many people | Covers many people, representative | Fixed in advance; one moment only |
| Interview | In-person, few people, structured or unstructured | Flexible, can go deeper | Cannot cover large numbers |
| Observation | Systematically watching and recording | Can capture the gap between stated views and actual behaviour; what is not happening can matter too | May not be easy in practice: you must not pre-judge what is relevant |
| Archival method | Uses material from the past (newspapers, magazines, television programmes) | Can show what things were like in the past | Depends on availability of material from the past |
The book states an advantage and a disadvantage only for surveys and interviews. The observation and archival cells summarise what the chapter says about those methods.
3Six Suggested Topics
3.1 At a glance
Public Transport
Communication Media
Household Appliances
Use of Public Space
Changing Aspirations
Biography of a Commodity
4All Definitions in One Place
5A Suggested Report Outline (the notes’ own)
The book gives no report format. This outline is the notes’ suggestion (full notes, Section 7), not the book’s rule and not a marking scheme.
- Topic, then a carefully specified question, then a suitable method
- Method choice = technical fit + practical considerations (time, resources, circumstances)
- Survey = many people, snapshot in time; Interview = few people, flexible
- Observation = absence can matter as much as presence
- Combining methods is often highly recommended (e.g. survey + archival)