surveys/questionnaires

Question 1

surveys/questionnaires:

Answer 1

• quantifiable data - can be easily converted into statistics to prove correlations
• positivism - discover social facts and record them
• standardisation of the data collected is critical
• e.g census every ten years that is useful for social trends
• data that can be directly compared
• everybody is answering the same questions so any differences in the answers will reflect real differences
• respondents must have same understanding of the information
• answers to the questions are coded into various categories so the researcher simply counts them

Question 2

types of questionnaires:

Answer 2

• self completion - these are left with the respondent to complete
• postal
• internet
• closed-ended - respondent selects one or more from a range of responses (quantitive - reliable)
• open-ended - reply in own words (harder to categorise - qualitivitive more valid)

Question 3

what are the advantages of questionnaires?

Answer 3

• cheap
• large sample (generalisations/representative)
• quick
• large geographical area
• easy to collect results
• results can be checked - reliable (P)
• few ethical problems
• no need to train interviewers
• anonymous
• no interviewer effect
• good for testing hypothesis
• can discover cause and effect relationships

Question 4

what are the PRACTICLE DISADVANTAGES to questionnaires?

Answer 4

• low response rate could ruin representativeness
• respondent could misunderstand questions
• restrictive nature - can’t go beyond questions which causes low validity. only find out what you intended to find out - nothing new
• not flexible - researcher stuck with same questions
• not accurate s only researchers thoughts are explored and not subjects POV
• lies - ‘right answerism’
• data tends to be limited

Question 5

what are the ETHICAL issues relating to questionnaires?

Answer 5

• informed consent must be gained - in schools this is given by the head teacher (gatekeeper)
• all parents must be informed
• most ethical method
• offer the respondents the choice to miss some questions that they do not want to answer
• do not ask personal questions
• confidentiality

Question 6

what are the THEORETICAL considerations of questionnaires?

positivists vs interpretivists

Answer 6

POSITIVISTS
- prefer questionnaires
- standardised questions which produce reliable data
- no personal contact
- maintains detachment and objectivity
- large sample makes generalisation

INTERPRETIVISTS
- dislike questionnaires
- fail to produce a valid picture
- can’t explain answers
- superficial snapshots

Question 7

use of surveys to study education

Answer 7

• operationalise concepts for pupils to understand - cultural capital - material deprivation
• suitable for age and ability of student
• should do a piolet study
• could be difficult to select a sample
• fairly easy to distribute in schools
• children could take them home to parents
• peer pressure in a classroom setting
• schools would have to give approval of the topic

Question 8

what is an imposition question?

Answer 8

• interpretivists argue they only reflect the researchers meanings
• research sets the questions so decide what’s important
• only find out the things you asked for
• closed-ended question - researcher selects the answers - researchers values instead of respondents
• open-ended questions - researcher also catagorises answers

Question 9

practice considerations of surveys/questionnaires IN SCHOOLS:

Answer 9

• sociologists dont need to go into schools - dont need a DBS
• questionnaires can be dropped off at school to be given to teachers to give to children which creates easy access. though children could loose them which effects result rate.
• emails - would have to ask head teacher. junk folder. may not have email
• cost is cheap
• make closed ending tick box - save time but not very valid
• could catch parents at parents eve
• busy working - teachers/parents labelled as not interested when really just working

Question 10

ethical considerations of surveys/questionnaires IN SCHOOLS:

Answer 10

• emails - would need to access personal information through schools
• could have a harmful effect on schools if published
• could potentially harm relationships between parents/teachers - teachers may blame parents for a child being unsuccessful
• could potentially lead to labelling - ‘parents dont hep so dont care’
• parents may think its intrusive - judging parenting skills

Question 11

theoretical considerations of surveys/questionnaires IN SCHOOLS:

Answer 11

• closed ending is reliable
• could be representative but would need to give out more questionnaires and involve more schools
• could pull a correlation to make it valid and representative - positivism - look at exam results to prove it