Tripartite Evaluation

All sociological research needs evaluating at the time of its conception and at a time of its use as a secondary source. The principal bases of evaluation are theoretical, practical and ethical. Theoretical is the driver: what is the research methodology that gets the desired nature of data and therefore what theoretical line does it take (quantitative for reliability, qualitative for validity); then the question is whether the research can be done, from the viewpoint of practicality (funding, timescale, location) and then what should be done in terms of ethics (for example disclosure of the research in qualitative approaches, invasion of privacy, maintaining confidentiality). The following introductions to sentences are a mixture that relate to evaluative approaches.

The theoretical basis of this research method is deductive and hypothesis driven falsification using quantitative methods...
The theoretical basis of this research method is towards the inductive positivist using quantitative methods for reliability...
The theoretical basis of this research method is towards the interactionist/ interpretivist using qualitative methods for validity...
Ethical considerations here include being overt rather than covert...
The research using unstructured/ informal interviews is open about the intentions and methods to the informants
The research is covert as it conceals processes from informants...
The research is probably quantifiable in approach for practical reasons of limited time and keeping within budget
There is enough time in a practical consideration to carry out participant observation...
This study supports the feminist/ Marxist/ functionalist approach...
This feminist/ Marxist/ functionalist methodology is in turn criticised by the Marxist/ functionalist/ feminist methodology on the grounds that...
This study is challenged by a feminist/ Marxist/ functionalist view that states...
Sociologist A disagrees with sociologist B because...
Study A disagrees with study B because...
This approach has been criticised by [sociologist]...
This approach is challenged by the study that found...
A weakness of this theory may be...
A strength of this theory is...
The most important point seems to be...
A problem with this view may be...
This approach is not convincing from the point of view that...
Against this view is...
On the other hand...

Evaluating sociology should be done with regard to theoretical, practical and ethical standards of performance. Haralambos, M., Langley P. (eds.), Sociology in Focus for AQA AS Level, at 166 looks at theoretical considerations in terms of positivism and interpretivism (ask: where does a study find itself in terms of these binary opposites of positivism and interpretivism?); 142 extends this to the related reliability and validity (evaluate: how much does a study meet either criteria - how good is it at being either reliable or valid?); and 146 looks at ethical issues (analyse in terms of consent, deception, privacy and confidentiality). These are where arguments and analysis about a study can be made.