research methods: assessing validity and improving across all methods

Question 1

.how many types of methods are there?

Answer 1

5

Question 2

.what are the types of methods?

Answer 2

.experiment
.observation and correlation analysis
.questionnaire
.interview
.case study

Question 3

.what can an experiment be assessed by?

Answer 3

.face validity
.concurrent validity

Question 4

.how can an experiment be improved?

Answer 4

.standardisation -procedure needs to be consistent
.single-blind -p’s dont know the aim of the study
.double-blind -third party conducts the study to reduce investigator effects

Question 5

.what can an observation and correlation analysis be assessed by?

Answer 5

.face validity
.concurrent validity

Question 6

.how can an observation ad correlation analysis be improved?

Answer 6

.make observations covert -ensures real behaviour
.better operationalisation -measurable, objective, no overlap between categories

Question 7

.how can a questionnaire be assessed?

Answer 7

.face validity
.concurrent validity

Question 8

.how can a questionnaire be improved?

Answer 8

.remove or rewrite any questions that are problematic -leading questions, double-barrelled
.incorporate a lie scale, to see how consistent answers are

Question 9

.how can an interview be assessed?

Answer 9

.face validity
.concurrent validity

Question 10

.how can an interview be improved?

Answer 10

.use unstructured rather than structured interviews to explore and understand responses
.conduct in a quiet room, so people are more willing to open up

Question 11

.how can a case study be assessed?

Answer 11

.face validity

Question 12

.how can a case study be improved?

Answer 12

.case studies are generally considered to be valid
-use direct quotes in reports