Questionnaires

Question 1

Questionnaires

Answer 1

• also known as surveys
• referred to as self-completion questionnaires
• pre-set questions
• closed or open-ended questions

Question 2

Practical

Answer 2

Strengths:
- cost
- time
- no training or skills required for researcher
Limitations:
- time (may take a while to complete and wait for responses)
- access (digital divide, gatekeepers that restrict access)

Question 3

Ethical

Answer 3

Strengths:
- right to privacy, anonymity and confidentiality
- informed consent
Limitations:
- deception
- sensitivity

Question 4

Theoretical

Answer 4

Strengths:
- reliability
- representative
Limitations:
- reliability (answers may vary based on P)
- validity and verstehen (lacks depth and detail)

Question 5

Uk Census

Answer 5

P +
Quick and cheap (can be completed online by participants- quantifiable)
P -
Time consuming and cannot expand on answers and have to chase up those who haven’t responded
E +
Confidential
E -
Sensitivity (some questions may be upsetting)
T +
Representative (wide ranging)
T -
Validity (lacks depth and detail and verstehen)

Question 6

Connor and Dewson- Social class and higher education
Conducted research to try and understand why some people from the lower classes do not attend university, studied three different groups:
1) Pre-entry A level students- focus groups to ask about where they had applied
2) Current students- 4000 postal questionnaires to 23 unis; gatekeeper in each. Received 41% response rate
3) Non-students- phone surveys with 176 young people who had not gone to university

Answer 6

P +
Money (relatively cost-effective to complete)
P -
Access (gatekeepers may limit ability to approach students)
Time (uni students may not respond or respond quickly)
E +
Right to privacy, anonymity and confidentiality
Informed consent (Ps can withdraw)
E -
Sensitivity (some may find issues covered sensitive)
T +
Representative
Reliable
T -
Validity (closed-ended questions lacked detailed, in-depth responses)

Question 7

Schofield- Sexual behaviour of young people in 1965
-sent out detailed questionnaire to teenagers aged 15-19 within schools to gain insight into sexual bahvaiour
-included young people from variety of class and ethnic backgrounds and covered both males and females
-open and closed ended questions
-study replicated 20 years later by the National Lifestyles Survey

Answer 7

P+
Time and money (fundings from National Lifestyles Survey)
P-
Access (gatekeepers in school, some under the age of consent)
E+
Right to privacy, anonymity and confidentiality
E-
Sensitivity (may be sensitive topic to some)
Informed consent (some Ps cannot give full informed consent at age 15)
T+
Reliability (survey repeated 20 years later by National Lifestyles Survey)
T-
Validity (may give socially desirable answers or misinterpret questions)