Questionnaires - Key Words

Question 1

Questionnaire

Answer 1

A list of pre-set questions

Question 2

Why are questionnaires a useful tool for conducting a social survey?

Answer 2

Because they can be used to gather information form large number of people

Question 3

Hypothesis

Answer 3

Untested theory of explanation expressed as a statement which gives direction to research

Question 4

Process of operationalising concepts

Answer 4

Process of turning sociologist concept/theory into something measurable and understandable

Question 5

Pilot study

Answer 5

Practice/draft version of questionnaire to test design of research

Question 6

Survey population

Answer 6

Whole group under investigation

Question 7

Sample

Answer 7

Smaller group drawn from survey population

Question 8

Representative sample

Answer 8

Sample that contains a good cross-section - provides roughly same desired as if whole survey population was questioned

Question 9

Sampling frame

Answer 9

List of names of all those included in survey population. Must be completed to show results are representative

Question 10

Random sampling

Answer 10

Every individual in survey population has equal chance of being picked out for investigation

Question 11

Systematic sampling

Answer 11

Names are selected from sampling frames at regular intervals until desired sample size is reached

Question 12

Stratified random sampling

Answer 12

Saul of attempting to avoid possible errors caused by random sampling. Achieved by subdividing sampling frame onto number of smaller sampling frames

Question 13

Quota sampling

Answer 13

Researchers told to go and select people who fit into certain categories according to their proportion in survey population

Question 14

Snowball sampling

Answer 14

Involves selecting a sample in various stages, each time selecting a sample from previous sample until final sample of people is selected