research methods :assessing and improving reliability across all methods

Question 1

.what is an experiment assessed by?

Answer 1

.test-retest reliability

Question 2

.how can an experiment improve reliability?

Answer 2

.standardisation -procedure needs to be consistent, same instructions for all, use objective and quantitative measures

Question 3

.what is an observation/ content analysis assessed by?

Answer 3

.inter-observer reliability

Question 4

.how can an observation/content analysis improve its reliability?

Answer 4

.operationalisation -measurable, objective categories
.better training of observers in applying the behavioural categories

Question 5

.what is a questionnaire assessed by?

Answer 5

.test-retest reliability

Question 6

.how can a questionnaire improve on reliability?

Answer 6

.remove or rewrite any problematic questions (leading, double-barrelled)
.replace open questions with closed questions (as less ambigious)

Question 7

.what is an interview assessed by?

Answer 7

.test-retest reliability

Question 8

.how can an interview improve on reliability?

Answer 8

.use the same interviewer
.avoid leading questions
.use structured rather than unstructured interviews