Lesson 3 - Self-Report Techniques

Question 1

What is self-report?

Answer 1

When participants provide details of their own feelings, thoughts and/or behaviour to the researcher.

Question 2

What are the types of interviews?

Answer 2

Structured, unstructured, semi-structured

Question 3

What is a structured interview?

Answer 3

All participants asked the same questions in the same order (quantitative data- data which can be counted)

Question 4

What is an unstructured interview?

Answer 4

Informal, in-depth conversational exchange between interviewer and interviewee which provides qualitative data (non-numerical data that gives description of what people feel/think)

Question 5

What is a semi-structured interview?

Answer 5

Combines mixture of structured and unstructured

Question 6

What are the advantages of interviews?

Answer 6

1- Complicated/sensitive issues best dealt with in an interview
2- if participants misunderstand a question this can be clarified.

Question 7

What are the disadvantages of interviews?

Answer 7

1- Risk of interviewer effects
2- Risk of social desirability bias (when people lie to present themselves positively) this means the data lacks validity
3- Training is needed for the interviewers and the process can be time consuming / expensive

Question 8

What do questionnaires focus on?

Answer 8

The individual’s behaviour, opinions, beliefs and attitudes.

Question 9

What is a closed question?

Answer 9

Closed questions require participants to answer yes/no or choose from fixed responses (quantitative data).

Question 10

What are the advantages of closed questions?

Answer 10

Researchers are able to collate and display the information collected easily.
Also easy to compare answers with others.

Question 11

What are open questions?

Answer 11

Open questions allow the participant to answer in their own words (qualitative data).

Question 12

What are the advantages of open questions?

Answer 12

• Allow respondents to interpret the question as they wish to and develop their response with detail or depth – so there is lots of information received.
• Open questions allow the researchers to pursue a line of enquiry that they may not have predicted but which comes to light because of a response by an interviewee.

Question 13

What are the advantages of questionnaires?

Answer 13

1. It is possible to collect a large amount of data relatively quickly and conveniently.
2. Questionnaires are easy to score/collate when the questions are closed.
3. Questionnaires are standardised so it is easy to replicate.

Question 14

What are the disadvantages of questionnaires?

Answer 14

1. Participants may misunderstand the questions and the researcher is
   not there to clarify.
2. Questionnaires can have a low response rate.
3. Questionnaires can have a biased sample as they are only suitable for people who can read and are willing and able to spend the time on them. Certain types of people would be more willing to fill in questionnaires (e.g. people without busy careers) and so the sample may not be representative of the target population.