Self-report techniques

Question 1

What are self-report techniques?

Answer 1

Any method, in which a person is asked to state/explain their feelings, opinions or behaviour related to a given topic

Question 2

What is a questionnaire?

Answer 2

A set of written questions, used to access an individual’s thoughts and experiences

Question 3

What is an interview?

Answer 3

A live encounter, in which one person asks the other questions, to assess an individual’s thoughts and experiences

Question 4

What are open questions?

Answer 4

• No fixed range of answers
• Produce qualitative data
• ‘How’ and ‘Why’ questions

Question 5

What are closed questions?

Answer 5

• Offers a fixed number of responses
• Produces mainly quantitative data

Question 6

What are the three types of interview?

Answer 6

• Structured
• Unstructured
• Semi-structured

Question 7

What are structured interviews?

Answer 7

Set of predetermined questions, asked in a fixed order

Question 8

What are unstructured interviews?

Answer 8

No set questions, interviewer has flexibility to choose their own questions, discuss a set topic

Question 9

What are semi-structured interviews?

Answer 9

Include a list of predetermined questions, but interviewers are free to use follow-up questions

Question 10

What is acquiescence bias?

Answer 10

The tendency to agree with answers on a questionnaire, regardless of its content

Question 11

What are the strengths of questionnaires?

Answer 11

• Cost effective
• Can be completed alone
• Easy to produce statistical data
• Data can be compared and analysed easily
• Produce qualitative and quantitative data

Question 12

What are the limitations of questionnaires?

Answer 12

• Responses may not be truthful (demand characteristics)
• Often produce response bias
• Low response rate
• Social desirability bias

Question 13

What are the strengths of structured interviews?

Answer 13

• Straightforward to replicate (standardised format)
• Format reduces differences between interviewers
• Easy to compare responses

Question 14

What are the limitations of structured interviews?

Answer 14

• Not possible for researchers to deviate from the desired topic
• Lacks validity
• Limits richness of data

Question 15

What are the strengths of unstructured interviews?

Answer 15

• More flexibility (follow up)
• Researchers can develop rapport to ensure truthful answers
• Very detailed and insightful

Question 16

What are the limitations of unstructured interviews?

Answer 16

• Risk of researcher bias
• Difficult to analyse data
• Social desirability bias
• Requires interviewer training
• Potential leading questions

Question 17

What are the strengths of semi-structured interviews?

Answer 17

• Follow up questions provide fuller account of lives

Question 18

What are the limitations of semi-structured interviews?

Answer 18

• Questions are not standardised
• Potential interviewer bias