Research Method: Questionnaires

Question 1

What is a questionnaire?

Answer 1

Respondents record their own answers that are provided in the written form of questions.

Question 2

What are 2 strengths of questionnaires?

Answer 2

+Standardised procedure
= Easily repeatable and given to large numbers of people.
+Find out what people think and feel as opposed to other methods like interviews.

Question 3

What are 2 weaknesses of questionnaires?

Answer 3

-Lack validity as people may not tell the truth (demand characteristics)
Eg: they may not know how to answer or not look foolish (social desirability bias)
-May only attract a certain sample
People who cannot read will not be able to complete questionnaires.

Question 4

What is a closed question?

Answer 4

A question with a fixed answer that provides quantitative data.

Question 5

What is an open question?

Answer 5

An question that allows respondents to provide their own answer and provides qualitative data.

Question 6

What is a ranked scale?

Answer 6

A closed question that asks respondents to rank their views on a scale.
Eg: 1 to 5

Question 7

What are 2 strengths of closed questions?

Answer 7

+Quantitative data is easy to analyse making it easier to draw conclusions.
+Answers are objective as they are likely to be interpreted the same by different researchers.

Question 8

What are 2 weaknesses of closed questions?

Answer 8

-People may not be able to explain their precise feelings decreasing the validity.
-Reductionist: oversimplifies human experience and the several answers a respondent might give.

Question 9

What are 2 strengths of open questions?

Answer 9

+Rich detail on behaviour as participants can express themselves increasing validity.
+Researcher may collect unexpected findings, decrease the effect of researcher bias.

Question 10

What are 2 weaknesses of open questions?

Answer 10

-Difficult to draw conclusions with a wide range of answers.
-Interpreting data is subjective: each researcher may view the data differently.

Question 11

What are 2 strengths of ranked scale questions?

Answer 11

+Objective
+Quantitative data that be analyse and presented easily.

Question 12

What are 2 weaknesses of ranked scale questions?

Answer 12

-Participants may respond in the same way to all questions. Eg: a tendency to select high values.
-Social disability bias: affect validity.

Question 13

What is social desirability bias?

Answer 13

When participants may give untrue responses so they don’t look foolish and make themselves look better.