Methods

Question 1

What is quantitative data?

Answer 1

• Data that is expressed in number form and can be measured.

Question 2

Give at least three advantages of quantitative data.

Answer 2

At least three from:

• Quick and easy to analyse
• More likely to be funded by the government
• Can look at patterns and trends/cause and effect relationships.
• Easier to collect
• Reliable
• Easier to generalise

Question 3

Give at least three disadvantages of quantitative data.

Answer 3

At least three from:

• It does not give particularly detailed answers.
• Can have low validity.
• The statistics could be missing or manipulated.
• There is a lack of evidence as to what caused the statistics to be created.

Question 4

What is qualitative data?

Answer 4

• Written data that is able to give description of people’s subject or event.

Question 5

Give at least one advantage of qualitative data.

Answer 5

At least one from:

• Gives answers to questions in detail.
• Data has a high level of validity.

Question 6

Give at least two disadvantages of qualitative data.

Answer 6

At least two from:

• The data takes time to analyse
• The data could be less repeatable (truthful)
• Patterns and trends cannot be identified.

Question 7

What is primary data?

Answer 7

• Information that was not present before research began, and is collected by the researcher.

Question 8

What is secondary data?

Answer 8

• Data that already exists

Question 9

What are examples of secondary data?

Give at least two examples

Answer 9

At least two examples from:

• Data from historical records
• Official statistics
• Government reports
• Public/private documents

Question 10

What is a questionnaire?

Answer 10

• A list of pre-set questions which the participant gives written responses to.

Question 11

What happens when answering a pre-coded questionnaire?

Answer 11

• The participant is asked a few pre-set questions which have a limited number of multiple choice answers.

Question 12

Give at least two advantages of pre-coded questionnaires.

Answer 12

At least two from:

• They are quick and easy for the participant to complete.
• It is easy to produce standardised, statistical data.
• The data is usually reliable.

Question 13

Give at least two disadvantages of pre-coded questionnaires.

Answer 13

At least two from:

• Limited choice of answers available
• Participants cannot explain their views fully.
• The meaning of the questions may be unclear.
• The results of the questionnaire may lack validity because of the limited choice may not allow the participant to express their real views.

Question 14

What is an open questionnaire?

Answer 14

• A questionnaire which has a number of pre-set questions but no choice of answers. This allows respondents to write their own more extended answers.

Question 15

Give at least one advantage of open-ended questionnaires.

Answer 15

At least one from:

• Produces more valid data - allows the participants to express their own views.
• They provide more detail and depth than pre-coded questionnaires.

Question 16

Give at least one disadvantage of open-ended questionnaires.

Answer 16

At least one from:

• Hard to classify and turn into statistical data.
• May not be as reliable as pre-coded questionnaires as it provides written answers.

Question 17

Give at least one advantage of questions given out by an interviewer.

Answer 17

At least one from:

• Interviewer can clarify questions if the respondent does not understand.
• The interviewer can encourage the respondent to give more details.

Question 18

Give at least one disadvantage of questions given out by an interviewer.

Answer 18

At least one from:

• Presence of the researcher may negatively impact on data validity especially when it comes to sensitive questions.
• Respondents may give answers that they feel to be more socially acceptable, rather than answering truthfully.

Question 19

What are postal and self completion questionnaires?

Answer 19

• Where a questionnaire is sent out to respondents and they complete it without ever meeting the researcher.