Self Report Techniques

Question 1

What is a questionnaire?

Answer 1

Questionnaires involve a pre-set list of written questions (sometimes referred to as ‘items’) used to assess a person’s thoughts and/or experiences.

Question 2

What is an open question?

Give an example

Answer 2

Respondent provides own answers expressed in words.

Example: Why did you start smoking?

This question would produce a range of personal answers.

Question 3

Characteristics of open questions?

Answer 3

Allows a range of answers, thoughts, opinions etc.

Participants can answer in any way they like

Qualitative data

Lots of depth and detail

Can provide new ideas

Difficult to analyse

Question 4

Strengths of open questions?

Answer 4

Responses are not restricted.

Answers more likely to provide detailed, unexpected information. Likely to have more external validity than statistics.

Question 5

Limitations of open questions?

Answer 5

Difficult to analyse.

Wider variety of answers than produced by closed questions. May be forced to reduce data to statistics.

Question 6

What is a closed question?

Give an example

Answer 6

Respondent has limited choices.

Example: How many cigarettes do you smoke a day? 0-10, 11-20, 21-30, 30+

This question would produce a range of personal answers

Question 7

Characteristics of closed questions?

Answer 7

Fixed responses (e.g., yes or no)

Quantitative data

Quick and easy to analyse

Lack depth, detail and explanations

Question 8

Strengths of closed questions?

Answer 8

Easier to analyse

Can produce graphs and charts for comparison. Makes it easier to draw conclusions.

Question 9

Limitations of closed questions?

Answer 9

Responses are restricted

Forced into an answer that may not represent true feelings. May reduce the validity of the findings.

Question 10

What are the types of closed questions?

Answer 10

Likert scales

Rating scales

Fixed choice option

Question 11

What is an likert scale?

Give an example

Answer 11

The respondent indicates their agreement with a statement using a scale.

e.g. PE should be compulsory until the age of 18

1 2 3 4 5
Strongly agree To strongly disagree

Question 12

What is a rating scale?

Give an example

Answer 12

The respondent identifies a value which represents their strength of feeling.

e.g. How much do you like PE?

1 2 3 4 5
Love like not bothered dislike hate

Question 13

What is a fixed choice option?

Give an example

Answer 13

Includes a list of options that respondents choose

e.g. How often do you exercise?

Never
Once a year
Once a month
Once a day

Question 14

Strengths of questionnaires

Answer 14

Can be distributed to lots of people

Gathers large amounts of data quickly and researcher need not be present when completed. This reduces the effort involved and makes questionnaires cost-effective.

Straightforward to analyse

Especially if closed, fixed-choice questions are used. The statistical data can easily be converted to graphs and charts for comparison.

Question 15

Limitations of questionnaires?

Answer 15

Responses may not always be truthful

Respondents tend to present themselves in a positive light. Thus, social desirability bias is possible.

Response bias

Respondents may favour a particular kind of response, e.g., they always agree. This means that all respondents tend to reply in a similar way.

Question 16

How can you write a good question?

Answer 16

Avoid jargon – use words the participants will understand

Avoid emotive language and leading questions

Avoid double barrelled questions – e.g., do you believe footballers are overpaid and should give 20% of their wage to charity?

Use a pilot study to check wording

Question 17

What is an interview?

Answer 17

Interviews are ‘live’ encounters (e.g. face-to-face or over the phone) where the interviewer asks a set of questions to assess the participant’s thoughts and/or feelings.

Question 18

What is a structured interview?

Answer 18

Questions are pre-set and asked in a fixed order

Easy to replicate

Can cause frustration for participants if they cannot elaborate on their points

Question 19

Strengths of structured interviews?

Answer 19

Easy to replicate

Straightforward to replicate because of standardised format. The format also reduces differences between interviewers.

Question 20

Limitations of structured interviews?

Answer 20

Interviewers cannot elaborate

Interviewers cannot deviate from the topic or explain their questions. This may limit the richness of data collected.

Question 21

What is an unstructured interview?

Answer 21

No set questions

Ask questions in a free-flowing way

The direction of the interview can change depending on participants answers

Participants are encouraged to elaborate

Difficult to compare to other participant’s answers

Difficult to replicate

Question 22

Strengths of unstructured interviews?

Answer 22

There is greater flexibility

Unlike a structured interview, point can be followed up as they arise. More likely to gain insight into interviewee’ worldview and collect unexpected information.

Question 23

Limitations of unstructured interview?

Answer 23

Increased risk of interviewer bias.

Closer dialogue between interviewer and interviewee. Means more opportunity for unconscious cues.

Question 24

What is a semi structured interview?

Answer 24

Questions are set beforehand, but the interviewer can follow up on questions when appropriate

Question 25

How to design an interview?

Answer 25

Interview schedule – a list of questions that needs to be covered for each participant (standardised) to help avoid bias (leading p’s in a certain direction). Quiet room – Will increase the likelihood that the interviewee will open. Rapport - Interviewer should make the participants relaxed to open and answer honestly (increase validity) Ethics - Participants must be reminded of their ethical rights.

Question 26

Evaluate interviews

Answer 26

More time consuming and expensive – researcher must be present Any misunderstandings can be clarified Easier to research sensitive topics through questionnaires Demand characteristics (social desirability bias)