questionnaires Flashcards
Hypothesis
An untested theory or explanation, expressed as a statement
Operationalise key concepts
The process of turning a sociological concept or theory into something measuring
Pilot study
This is a draft version of a questionnaire or interview to test the deign of your research
Survey population
Is the whole group under investigation
Sample
Is a smaller group drawn from the survey population
Representative sample
Is a smaller drawn from the survey population, of which it contains a good cross section
Sampling frame
A list of names of all those included in the survey population from which the sample is selected. A commonly used list of names is the Electoral Register, which includes names and addresses of adults over 18 in Britain who can vote in elections
Sampling methods
- Random sampling2. Systematic sampling 3. Stratified random sampling 4. Quota sampling 5. Multistage or cluster sampling
Advantages of questionnaires
- Practical advantages - quick and cheap way of gathering large quantities of data 2. Reliability 3. Hypothesis testing 4. Detachment 5. Representativeness 6. Ethical issues
Disadvantages of questionnaires
- Practical problems - limited and superficial 2. Response rate 3. Inflexibility4. Questionnaires as snapshots 5. Detachment 6. Lying, forgetting and ‘right answerism’ 7. Imposing the researcher’s meanings
Random sampling
When a researcher randomly selects participants for researcher from a list, out of a hat, or randomly generated choice by computer
Systematic sampling
When a researcher selects every nth person on the sampling frame to be part of the sample
Stratified random sampling
Sampling frame is divided up into various social groups and then random sampling is used for each group to ensure the final sample reflects the population in terms of the representations
Quota sampling
Non probability sampling technique in which researchers create a sample involving individuals thats represent a population
Snowball sampling
Non probability sampling technique in which a researcher begins with a small population of known individuals and expands the same by asking those initial participants to identify others that should participate in the study
Practical - adv
Quick and cheap No need to train interviewers Data easy to quantify
Reliability - adv
Reliable because can be repeated Allows comparisons to be made overtime People’s answers are their own ideas
Hypothesis - adv
Useful in testing hypotheses about cause and effect relationships between variables
Detachment - adv
They are a detached and objective form of research
Representativeness - adv
Results stand better chance of being representative of wider population due to large amount of peopleResearchers who use questionnaires lend to pay more attention to the need to obtain a representative sample
Ethical - adv
Questionnaires pose fewer ethnically problems than most other research methods Informed consent guarantee respondents
Practical - disadv
Limited data and superficial (brief)Researcher cannot be sure the potential respondent received the questionnaire completed by the person to whom it was addressed to Can become expensive
Response - disadv
Low response rate, especially with postal questionnaires Low response rate could be due to poor research design
Inflexibility - disadv
Inflexible - once questions are finalised the researcher must stick with them Contrasts to flexible methods - unstructured interviews
Snapshot - disadv
Gives picture of reality at only one moment when respondent answers question Therefore questionnaire faults to produce a fully valid picture
Detachment - disadv
Lacks validity Lack of contact means no opportunity to clarify what the questions mean to the respondent
Lying - disadv
Depends on respondents willingness to provide accurate answers Respondents may lie, forget about answers rather than tell the truth Observer cannot see what subjects are doing
Imposing - disadv
Questionnaires are more likely to impose the researchers own meanings
