Questionnnaires (disadvantages)

Question 1

Whats one practical problem

Answer 1

Data from questionnaires tend to be limited and superficial

Question 2

Why are the data limited add superficial

Answer 2

Because they need to be fairly brief since most respondents are unlikely to complete and return a long, time consuming questionnaire
Therefore, this limits the amount of info that can be gathered from each respondent

Question 3

Whats another practical disadvantage

Answer 3

Although questionnaires are a relatively cheap method of gathering data, it may sometimes be necessary to offer incentives like entry into a prize draw to persuade respondents to complete the questionnaire.
Therefore, this will add to the cost

Question 4

Whats a second disadvantage

Answer 4

Low response rate

Althoughe questionnaires have the potential to collect data from large, representatives samples, very low response rate can be a major problem, especially with postal questionnaire

Question 5

Why does postal questionnaires tend to have low response rates at times

Answer 5

Because those who receive it don’t bother to complete and return it
Hites (1991) study of ‘love, passion and emotional violence’ in America sent out 100,000 questionnaires but only 4.5% of them were returned

Question 6

How can a higher response rate be obtained

Answer 6

A higher response rate can be obtained if follow up questionnaires are sent and if questionnaires are collected by hand. However, this adds to the cost and time

Question 7

3rd disadvantage

Answer 7

Questionnaires are detached

Interpretivists such as cicourel (1968) argue that data from questionnaires lack validity and doesn’t give a true picture of what has been studied

Question 8

What interpretivists argue

Answer 8

We can only gain a valid picture by using methods that show us to get close to the subjects of the study

Question 9

Why do interpretvists argue that questionnaires fails to do this

Answer 9

Questionnaires fails to do this because they’re the most detached of all primary methods
So they’re lack of contact means there’s no way of knowing whether the respondent and researcher both interpret the questions or the answers in the same way

Question 10

What’s the 4th disadvantage

Answer 10

Questionnaires are a very inflexible method

Question 11

Why are questionnaires seen as inflexible

Answer 11

Because one the questionnaire has been finalised, the researcher is stuck with the questions they have decided to ask and can’t explore any new areas of interests