2. Self-report Techniques

Question 1

What is an open question?

Answer 1

A question that allows respondents to answer in their own words - this produces qualitative data

Question 2

What is a closed question?

Answer 2

For a closed question the respondents choose their response from a limited number of fixed responses predetermined by the researcher - this produces quantitative data

Question 3

What are the advantages of open questions?

Answer 3

• Provides rich detailed data

- this is because it allows participants to express their answer in any way they want

Question 4

What are the advantages of closed questions?

Answer 4

• easier to statistically analyse

- because it offers fixed responses

Question 5

What are the disadvantages of open questions?

Answer 5

• Difficult to statistically analyse

- data is detailed and in depth

Question 6

What are the disadvantages of closed questions?

Answer 6

• Lack of detail

- because the responses are fixed

Question 7

What are the two strengths of questionnaires?

Answer 7

• data can be collected in multiple forms and so it is a cost effective means of collecting data
• they are an efficient way of collecting reliable data, especially when they use closed questions

Question 8

What are the three weaknesses of questionnaires?

Answer 8

• internal validity is compromised by social desirability
• population validity is often lowered by sampling biases
• open questions can make the method subjective and harder to analyse

Question 9

What are the types of interview?

Answer 9

• Structured interview
• Unstructured interview
• Semi-structured interview

Question 10

What is a structured interview?

Answer 10

An interview in which the interviewer will ask questions that have been prewritten. The questions can be closed or open, but follow a set format

Question 11

What is a unstructured interview?

Answer 11

The interviewer will have very few predetermined questions, rather they will have a number of topics they want to explore. This is more like a conversation, the questions tend to be open.

Question 12

What is a semi-structured interview?

Answer 12

A mixture of the two, it aims to explore some themes and has some set questions. However, the interviewer is allowed to explore some of these areas further based upon the interviewees’ initial responses

Question 13

What are the three strengths of interviews ?

Answer 13

• allow detailed information to be obtained
• interviews can identify body language and other non verbal behaviour as well as responses
• combination of structured and unstructured encourages participants to be honest and allows them to express themselves

Question 14

What are the two weaknesses of interviews?

Answer 14

• Interviews are more time consuming than questionnaires
• more difficult to statistically analyse the data from unstructured interviews as it tends to be qualitative, method can be effected by subjectivity