Self report studies - Interviews/Questionnaires

Question 1

What types of interviews are there ?

Answer 1

Structured - Closed -Quantitative

Unstructured - Open - Qualitative

Semi -structured - Mix of both - Quantitative and Qualitative

Question 2

Explain structured interviews

Answer 2

Interviewer will have a set of pre-prepared closed questions.
Usually wanting yes/no answers.
Same questions given to all ppts.

Quantitative data - Easy analysis - Less time consuming - Cost effective - don’t have to train interviewers on limits of what can say.

Reliable - Easily replicated and gain similar results.
Standardised - easy analysis of data between ppts.
Good for large sample sizes

Inflexible - less valid - can miss out on more deep information / can’t ask further questions - not find out reasons.

Question 3

Explain unstructured interviews

Answer 3

Open-ended questions - more natural - make ppts feel more comfortable - good if researching sensitive topics as more likely to open up = more valid findings.

Questions can be modified to suit each ppt.
Qualitative data - valid - detailed - time consuming less cost effective - have to train interviewers to be more sensitive in questions.

Leading questions - Invalid results as can be confusing (people with learning disabilities) - lead to demand characteristics/investigator effects.

Allows for more clarification/detail - can make it harder to analyse so hard to replicate and less generalisable.

Question 4

Explain Semi-structured interviews

Answer 4

Has predetermined questions but also open-ended and allows to go into more detail from pre-determined questions and can change if N/A to that ppt.
Valid/reliable - can ask for elaboration

Time consuming/cost ineffective - Interviewers have to be well trained.

Question 5

What types of questionnaire are there ?

Answer 5

Closed
open
Can be sent out in a text/letter/email/leaflet

Question 6

What are questionnaires ?

Answer 6

ppts are asked to answer a series of questions.
Cheap/efficient - good for large samples
Avoids investigator effects - not present

Social desirability bias - may lie to look good. (espc if sensitive topic).
Acquiescence bias - Agreeing to everything to get it done quicker

Question 7

Explain closed questionnaires

Answer 7

Fixed number of responses
Tick boxes - likert scale -rating scale - yes/no answers
Quantitative data - easy analysis - numerical
Easy to generalise findings

Lack in depth detail - cannot add extra info that could help study.

Question 8

Explain open questionnaires

Answer 8

Respondents free to answer how they wish.
Ask a question - may ask ppt to elaborate/add extra info or explain something. (What does it feel like?) (what do you watch with your kids?)

More in depth detail
Harder to analyse as responses will vary.
Time consuming - need to make questions clear or results could become invalid.