Quantitative 3- Data Collection Flashcards
What is essential if people take the time to fill in questionnaires?
It is essential that if people fill in the questionnaires we take over their constructions. Good information improves our ability to make better decisions.
Creating trustable data is important, why?
Most problems using questionnaires can be traced back to the lack of design phase.
The best way of avoiding this is to state a clear overall research aim and identify the objectives that will achieve the aim.
The most useful objectives contain statement that can be measured, ones that actually have a real-life outcome.
What are the questions to ask yourself about questionnaires?
Can you construct a rationale, logical argument as to why you should use questionnaires as opposed to another form of data collection?
If the advantages weigh the disadvantages then its likely the right choice?
What are questionnaires not used for?
When you want to find out how often people do things
or for self report involving status and ability.
Why is using existing questionnaires ideal?
Use readily formulated questionnaires.
Huge amount of these on an even larger subject range, reinventing the wheel sacrifices validity and reliability.
Validity in a questionnaire involves collecting the data that actually answer the question
Reliability in a questionnaire provides an indication that the questionnaire will give the same results when filled out by like-minded people in similar circumstances.
When designing a questionnaire what is it you look out for?
Some topics do not have ready-made questionnaires so sometimes it is necessary to construct them.
- Keep questions short
- Must questions: the ones that fulfil the aims and objectives of your research.
- Should questions: usually the ones that support the research topic, often include demographic data or socio-economic status.
Which type of question should you try to avoid?
Could question: avoid them. The question might be interesting. Find ways to analyse the response. Far easier to discard them.
If you put them in regardless you have to find ways to analyse the responses and think how they will fit in the results and conclusion.
What are the two types of questions?
Open and closed
What are closed questions?
- Usually require a short affirmative or negative answer
- Easily to analyse
- People don’t need to very articulate to answer these types of questions
- Disadvantage: often contain researcher bias and the responses cannot be qualified by the participant.
What are the different types of closed questions?
Dichotomous- Yes/No Multiple choice 5/7 or 4/6 point Likert type scale Semantic differential- bipolar words Word association- word presented one at a time the participant gives the first word that comes to mind. Rank order Numeric value
What are open questions?
- Asks the participant to sign longer questions
- Greater freedom to respond
- Best not to use this type of question if the respondent cannot write reasonably well.
- Also time consuming to code and the research can easily be misinterpreted.
What are the types of open question?
Sentence completion
Story completion
Unstructured- allows unlimited response.
What are the basic rules of the design?
-Explaining clearly to the participant and give as much detail as you can about why you want it.
-use short affirmative safety instructions
Use and active voice rather than a passive voice.
-Use simple words
- Avoid ambiguity
-Use a natural sequence
-DO NOT USE CAPITAL LETTERS: seems like shouting
- Avoid leading or presuming questions.
What are the rules behind returning the questionnaire to the researcher?
- Should be made easy to return questionnaire to maximise return rates
- Name and contact details should be on the questionnaire
