What is it?
Reliable
What is it not?
Valid
Advantages?
Test hypothesis Compare statistics Easy to analyse (tables, charts etc) Repeat questionnaires to treat reliability Allow large samples
It is representative?
Yes - findings can be generalised to a target population
Disadvantages?
Statistics don’t tell about the meanings, motives and reasons behind behaviour
Statistics are politically biased
Statistics hide reality
Categories in interviews/questionnaires hide the truth
Format?
Numerical format
Who likes them?
Positivists