Research Methods Topic 3 - Questionnaires Flashcards
What are questionnaires?
A form of social survey
How can questionnaires be distributed?
At home, emailed, or completed on the spot
What are the two types of questions in questionnaires?
- Closed questions
- Open-ended questions
What is a closed question?
Respondents choose from a range of possible answers predetermined by the researcher
What is an open-ended question?
Respondents can give any answer they wish, with no pre-selected answers
What is a Likert scale?
A scale where respondents rate something, e.g., confidence from 1-5
What is a practical advantage of questionnaires?
They can gather large amounts of data quickly and cheaply
What is an ethical advantage of questionnaires?
They pose fewer ethical issues and allow for anonymity and confidentiality
What is a theoretical advantage of questionnaires?
They are reliable, producing similar results when repeated
What is representativeness in questionnaires?
They collect data from many people, increasing the likelihood of being representative of the wider population
What is detachment and objectivity in questionnaires?
Minimal sociologist involvement leads to unbiased data collection
What is a practical disadvantage of questionnaires?
Data collected can be limited and superficial
What is a financial disadvantage related to questionnaires?
Sometimes incentives, like prize draws, are needed, increasing costs
What is a potential issue with postal/online questionnaires?
Uncertainty about whether the intended respondent received or completed it
What is inflexibility in questionnaires?
Questions are fixed and cannot be changed after distribution
What language issue can affect questionnaires?
Complex language may prevent some respondents from understanding questions
What is ‘right answerism’?
Respondents may provide socially desirable answers rather than the truth
What is a low response rate in questionnaires?
A situation where few respondents complete the questionnaire, potentially skewing results
What study had a low response rate of 4.5%?
Shere Hite’s study on ‘love, passion, and emotional violence’
Name a method to improve response rates for questionnaires.
- Financial incentives
- Short questionnaires
- Coloured ink
- Personalised letters
- First-class mailing with return envelope
- Pre-contact with participants
- Follow-up contact
- Designing to appeal to participants’ interests
What do questionnaires as snapshots refer to?
They provide a picture of social reality at a specific moment, potentially lacking validity
What do interpretivists argue about the detachment of questionnaires?
They believe it lacks validity and fails to provide a true picture
How do questionnaires impose the researcher’s meanings?
The researcher decides what is important through the questions asked
