Methodology Evaluations

Question 1

Quasi experiments: positives

Answer 1

1. Allows study of things that could not be studied in any other way.

Question 2

Quasi experiments: negatives

Answer 2

1. Cannot draw cause and effect conclusion
2. Not randomly allocated (increase variables= bias)
3. Extraneous variables
4. Difficult to replicate
5. Characteristics= low population validity

Question 3

Questionnaire: positives

Answer 3

1. Easy + quick + cheap
2. Allow to collect data from a large sample
3. Impersonal nature= decrease social desirability bias.

Question 4

Questionnaire: negatives

Answer 4

1. Takes lots of time of design
2. Only by people who can read and write= bias

Question 5

Structured Interviews: positives

Answer 5

1.Easily repeated= standardised
2. Answers are predictable= easy to analyse

Question 6

Structured Interviews: negatives

Answer 6

1. Interviewer behaviour= decrease reliability
2. Interviewer expectations may influence answers (interviewer bias).

Question 7

Semi-structured Interviews: positives

Answer 7

1. More details obtained from questions
2. Tailor questions for specific response= deeper insight.

Question 8

Semi-structured Interviews: negatives

Answer 8

1. Interviewer needs more skills
2. Lack objectivity= instant nature
3. No time to reflect on response
4. More expensive.

Question 9

Content analysis: positives

Answer 9

1. Increase ecological validity
2. sources are retained= replicated

Question 10

Content analyses: negatives

Answer 10

1. Observer bias= reduce objectivity and reduce validity (interpret behaviour differently).

Question 11

Case studies: positives

Answer 11

1. In-depth data of behaviour that is rare
2. Complex interaction studied.

Question 12

Case studies: negatives

Answer 12

1. Hard to generalise individual cases (with unique characteristics)
2. Patient collection= unreliable

Question 13

Participant observations: positives

Answer 13

1. Reduce demand characteristics
2. Research people who would be very different to observe.

Question 14

Participant observations: negatives

Answer 14

1. Observer bias (expectations affect their perception of events)
2. Unreliable= data relies on memory

Question 15

Non-participant observations: positives

Answer 15

1. Reduce observer bias
2. Produce valid + reliable findings.

Question 16

Non-participant observations: negatives

Question 17

Correlational studies: positives

Answer 17

1. Has its own specific value
2. Good to investigate trends in data
3. Easily repeated = more reliable

Question 18

Correlational studies: negatives

Answer 18

1. Misinterpret correlations = false premises
2. Lack internal/ external validity

Question 19

Primary data: positives

Answer 19

1. More control over data
2. Designed to fit aims and hypothesis

Question 20

Primary data: negatives

Answer 20

1. Takes a long time + expensive

Question 21

Secondary data: positives

Answer 21

1. More simple + cheaper + quicker
2. Know if the data is significant to the study

Question 22

Secondary data: negatives

Answer 22

1. Data could not be exact to the study

Question 23

Quantitative: positives

Answer 23

1. Easy to analyse = draw conclusions easily
2. Allows descriptive statistics

Question 24

Quantitative: negatives

Answer 24

1. Oversimplified = conclusion meaningless

Question 25

Qualitative: positives

Answer 25

1. Detailed info = unexpected insights thoughts and feelings
2. Not restricted by previous expectations

Question 26

Qualitative: negatives

Answer 26

1. Complex to understand
2. Difficult to analyse.