Self Report Techniques

Question 1

What is Self-report?

Answer 1

Self-report is when participants provide details of their own feelings, thoughts and behaviour to the researcher.

Question 2

Structured interview

Answer 2

All participants are asked the same questions in the same order. This provides quantitative data.
Advantages:
- If participants misunderstand a question this can be clarified in an interview.
- Less time consuming.
Disadvantages:
- Risk of interviewer effects so data collected can be invalid.
- Lack qualitative and in depth data. Answers are restrictive.

Question 3

Unstructured Interview

Answer 3

An informal in-depth conversational exchange between interviewer and interviewee. Provides qualitative data.
Advantages:
- Useful for investigating sensitive or controversial topics.
Disadvantages:
- Risk of social desirability.
- Time consuming and expensive and interviewers need to be trained.

Question 4

Semi-structured Interview

Answer 4

Combines a mix of structured and unstructured techniques.
Advantages:
- Allows interview to investigate sensitive/controversial topics.
- Not all Qs are closed=increases validity
Disadvantages:
- Risk of interviewer effect
- Open ended Qs are difficult to analyse

Question 5

Questionnaires

Answer 5

Participants are given written set of questions and instructions about how to record their answers. Questionnaires are self-administered, delivered by post, internet or face-to-face.

Question 6

Types of questions

Answer 6

Closed questions: Yes/no or choose from fixed responses = quantitative data so able to display info.

Open questions: Answers in own words = qualitative data so detailed responses.

Avoid ambiguity, leading questions, double barrelled questions and complexity.

Question 7

Advantages of questionnaires

Answer 7

• Quick, easy and cheap. Possible to have large sample = large amount of data.
• Time efficient as researcher doesn’t have to be present.
• Very easy to replicate and reliability can be established.

Question 8

Disadvantages of questionnaires

Answer 8

• Qs can be ambiguous and wording might not be clear. Researcher is not there so participants may misinterpret the questions, leading to invalid data collection.
• Low response rate esp. with returning via mail as no one is physically there to urge them.
• Biased sample as only people who can read and are willing will spend time doing it = not representative of population.