Questionnaires
Self-report method in which a series of answers is given in a written format, either by making a choice/ answer (closed question) or an extended answer (open question)
- + Collect large amount of data quickly from large sample (compared to techniques e.g. interviews)
- + See what people are thinking e.g. attitudes.
- + Good reliability = technique is easily repeated/replicated.
- – Heavily influenced by the motivation level of participant
- – Social desirability bias = respondents answer Q’s in a way that reflects well on them
- – Doesn’t reflect thinking – but what people say they think + doesn’t match behaviour
How to write a good questionnaire?
- Good questions:
- Clarity – respondent should understand the Q
- Unbiased – no leading Q’s, give no suggestion of a preferred answer (which’ll increase social desirability bias)
- Analysis – questions should be asked in a way that provide useful data for analysis:
- Qualitative analysis = open questions, can be analysed using content analysis
- Quantitative analysis = closed questions, scale questions – find trends + patterns
- How many questions do I need?
- Just enough to provide enough useful data for analysis – too many can cause poor responses and responder boredom
- May need filler questions = hide the aim due to demand characteristics
- Order of questions – put more challenging questions later in questionnaires to help to build a rapport
- Always run a pilot study – Small scale study before main study to stop methodological problems
Interviews
A face to face interaction where an interviewer asks set of questions to interviewees about their thoughts/experiences
Structured interviews: made up of pre-determined set of questions that are asked in a fixed order – like a verbal questionnaire
- + Easy to replicate as standardised format
- – Interviewee can’t elaborate their points and imposes what the researcher values on the participant
Unstructured interviews: More of a conversation with a general aim that a certain topic will be discussed, and interaction tends to be free-flowing. The interviewee encouraged to expand and elaborate when prompted, with no set questions.
- + More flexibility as can have follow up questions therefore more insight
- – Risk of social desirability bias