methods: questionnaires

Question 1

Define a questionnaire

Answer 1

• series of closed and open ended questions designed to gather info about a certain topic
• provides booth qual and quant data

Question 2

Why are questionnaires more practical than an interview?

Answer 2

A researcher must be trained to conduct an interview in a competent manner, whereas questionnaires can be sent off relatively cheaply and quickly

Question 3

Considerations before administering questionnaire

Answer 3

• distributed via postal service, email or handed out in person
• so questionnaire is fixed and has no flexibility
• expectation is that the ppt answer questions without the researcher present
• so pilot study is often conducted
• given to small sample, to check that the questions are clear and can understand what they’re asking
• researcher will then reassess questions to see if they collect the relevant data for the study

Question 4

Considerations

Answer 4

• aims- measure what it aims to measure, all questions gather relevant data
• length- shorter questionnaires likely to receive more responses
• pilot study
• language- simplistic, easy to understand language

Question 5

Problems with questionnaires

Answer 5

• social desirability- want to present a positive image of the seeks so may lie or bend the truth to look good

Question 6

Self completion

Answer 6

• a series of open and closed question that are filled in by the respondent without input from the the researcher
• high validity- no interviewer bias
• high ethics- easier to cover sensitive topics
• low generalisability- low response rate
• low validity- open to social desirability

Question 7

Postal questionnaires

Answer 7

• series of open and closed questions that are sent to respondents in the post
• high generalisability- large, geographically dispersed sample
• high validity- anonymous sample reduces potential for social desirability

Question 8

General strengths and weaknesses of questionnaires

Answer 8

• high gen- set questions and methods of distributions e.g. postal allows them to be sent on a mass scale
• low gen- no researcher present= low response rate, so leaves a small, biased sample due to people with similar traits wanting to respond
• high reliability- set list of questions, easily compared and repeated etc
• low validity- social desirability but postal is anonymous so less potential