Quantitative Methods Flashcards
What is Quantitative data?
Data which is represented in numbers. Usually large data sets
Is quantitative data generally considered to have high or low validity?
Low validity
Is quantitative data generally considered to have high or low reliability?
High reliability
Do interpretivists or positivists prefer quantitative data?
Positivists
What kinds of questionnaires are there?
Telephone, email, online, postal, face to face
True or False: a pratical strength of questionnaires is that there is no need to train interviewers
True
True or False: A practical weakness of questionnaires is that they are costly and take a long time to prepare
False - the opposite is true
True or false: An ethical strength of questionnaires is that they can be done confidentially/anonymously
True
True or false: An ethical weakness of questionnaires is that it can be tricky to gain consent
False - the opposite is true
True or false: A practical weakness of questionnaires is that they could have low response rates
True
True or false: A practical weakness of questionnaires is that answers are often quite brief (superficial)
True
True or false: An ethical strength of questionnaires is that they are good for exploring sensitive issues
False - the opposite is true
True or false: A theoretical strength of questionnaires is that researchers know they are getting the truth from their respondents
False - the opposite is true
True or false: A theoretical strength of questionnaires is that they typically have large sample sizes
True
True or false: A theoretical weakness of questionnaires is that the researcher’s biases can affect the data
False - the opposite is true
True or false: A theoretical weakness of questionnaires is that there is no way to clarify the meanings of questions, so participants may misinterpret them
True
What is an interview schedule?
A pre-set list of questions to be asked in the interview
What is a questionnaire?
A preset list of questions sent out to participants
What is a structured interview?
A preset list of questions that a researcher asks a participant, without deviating
True or false: A practical strength of structured interviews is that it is cheap and easy to train researchers
True
True or false: A practical strength of structured interviews is that data can be easily analysed, thanks to their close-ended questions
True
True or false: A practical weakness of structured interviews is that, compared to questionnaires, they are time-consuming and costly
True
True or false: A practical weakness of structured interviews is that they can cover large sample sizes, but not as many as questionnaires
True
True or false: An ethical strength of structured interviews is that interviewees do not have to answer questions they don’t want to
True
True or false: An ethical weakness of questionnaires is that participants can be kept anonymous
False - the opposite is true
True or false: An ethical weakness of structured interviews is that they are not suitable for sensitive topics, as there is no opportunity to build rapport and trust
True
True or false: A theoretical strength of structured interviews is that there is no room for interviewer bias to affect participant responses
False - the opposite is true
True or false: A theoretical weakness of structured interviews is that data can lack verstehen (empathy/understanding) as there is no opportunity for participants to give more information
True
True or false: A theoretical strength of structured interviews is that they generally have a higher response rate than questionnaires
True
True or false: A theoretical weakness of structured interviews is that they have low reliability
False - the opposite is true
What is a non-participant observation?
Where researchers watch a group doing something, but doesn’t get involved
True or false: A practical strength of non-participant observations is that it is easy to gain access as they are conducted in natural settings
True