Questionnaires - Methods in Context

Question 1

What does the operationalisation of concepts involve?

Answer 1

Turning abstract ideas into a measurable form

Question 2

Why can the operationalisation of concepts be difficult when creating a questionnaire for pupils?

Answer 2

Because their grasp of abstract concepts is generally less than that of adults. It may be difficult to turn sociological ideas into language that pupils will understand

Question 3

Why can schools provide researchers with accurate sampling frames?

Answer 3

Because schools keep lists of pupils, staff and parents

Question 4

What can a sociologist create from an accurate sampling frame?

Answer 4

A representative sample

Question 5

What samples to schools have of pupils and teachers?

Answer 5

Schools have ready-made opportunity samples

Question 6

Examples of ready-made opportunity samples that schools have

Answer 6

Form groups
Teacher departments

Question 7

What lists may schools not have that sociologists are interested in?

Answer 7

Schools may not have lists that reflect the researchers’ interests e.g. schools may not keep lists of students based on their ethnic groups

Question 8

What is required for a questionnaire to be carried out in a school?

Answer 8

The schools permission

Question 9

What is distributing questionnaires in schools an easy way to do?

Answer 9

Access large numbers of potential respondents

Question 10

Why may a questionnaire be off-putting for pupils?

Answer 10

Because they usually have the appearance of a formal document

Question 11

Are response rates for questionnaires usually low or high?

Answer 11

Low

Question 12

Two reasons why schools may be reluctant to allow sociologists to distribute questionnaires

Answer 12

Disruption to lessons
They may object to the researcher’s chosen topic

Question 13

Response rates of questionnaires conduced in schools

Answer 13

Usually have high response rates

Question 14

Why are response rates of questionnaires carried out in schools usually high?

Answer 14

Because teachers and pupils may feel pressured to cooperate once the head teacher has given school’s consent

Question 15

What may reduce the response rates of teachers?

Answer 15

Teachers are often too busy to complete lengthy questionnaires

Question 16

What are questionnaires very useful for gathering?

Answer 16

Large quantities of basic factual educational information quickly and cheaply

Question 17

Negative adjectives of data from questionnaires

Answer 17

Limited
Superficial (shallow)

Question 18

What pupils are school questionnaires unsuitable for?

Answer 18

Pupils who can’t read well (e.g. pupils with learning difficulties)

Question 19

Why do questionnaires for children need to be relatively brief?

Answer 19

Because children generally have shorter attention span than adults

Question 20

Disadvantage of brief questionnaire

Answer 20

Limits amount of information that can be gathered

Question 21

If the same questionnaire is given to teachers and pupils, why may children not know some of the answers?

Answer 21

Because their life experiences are narrower than that of adults - limits value

Question 22

Consequence of questionnaire being carried out class by class

Answer 22

It’s purpose and questions may become known throughout the schools which will reduce the validity as some respondents will have more time to think than others

Question 23

What may teachers be able to recognise when answering a questionnaire which will reduce the validity of the results.

Answer 23

They may be able to recognise the researchers aims and intentions so they will answer accordingly

Question 24

How can questionnaires be useful when researching sensitive educational issues (like bullying or labelling)?

Answer 24

They are anonymous which may overcome pupils embarrassment or fear

Question 25

What will the details revealed by respondents depend on?

Answer 25

Their reassurance that their anonymity is safeguarded

Question 26

Why may is be difficult for a researcher to reassure the safeguarding of the respondents anonymity?

Answer 26

Because questionnaires involve very little personal contact

Question 27

Why do Interpretivists reject questionnaires as a means of researching pupils?

Answer 27

Because they emphasise the importance of developing a rapport with the participants

Question 28

What may a lack of rapport result in?

Answer 28

The pupils being less likely to give full and honest responses

Question 29

What students may refuse to cooperate or answer the questions seriously? What is the result of this?

Answer 29

Students in anti-school subcultures. Results in incomplete or invalid data