self-report design

Question 1

what is a likert scale?

Answer 1

• when the respondent indicates their agreement (or otherwise) using a scale of usually five points
• the scale ranges from strongly agree to strongly disagree

Question 2

what is a rating scale?

Answer 2

similar to likert scale but respondents identify a value that represents their strength of feeling about a particular topic

Question 3

what does a fixed choice option include?

Answer 3

• a list of possible options
• respondents to indicate those that apply to them

Question 4

evaluation of likert (and rating scale)

Answer 4

+ produces quantitative data which is easy to analyse
- people would choose middle if unsure

Question 5

2+ 2-

evaluation of fixed choice option

Answer 5

+ easy to analyse as it produces quantitative data
+ replicable, reliable, standardised
- forces participants to choose an option that doesn’t represent their beliefs or opinions
- lacking in detail and validity

Question 6

what does an interview involve?

Answer 6

• most involve an interview schedule, which is the list of questions the interviewer intends to cover
• interviewer will take notes throughout or record and analyse later

Question 7

who does an interview involve?

Answer 7

• usually involves interviewer and single participant
• group interviews may be appropriate in clinical settings

Question 8

where should a one-to-one interview take place and why?

Answer 8

• interviewer should conduct the interview in a quiet room, away from other people
• this increases likelihood of interviewee opening up

Question 9

what should an interview begin with and why?

Answer 9

• it is good practice to begin the interview with some neutral questions
• this makes the interviewee feel relaxed and comfortable
• it is also a way of establishing rapport

Question 10

what should the interviewee be reminded of?

Answer 10

• interviewees should be reminded on several occasions that their answers will be treated in the strictest confidence
• this is especially important if the interview includes topics that may be personal or sensitive

Question 11

why is clarity essential when designing questionnaires and interviews?

Answer 11

if respondents are confused by or misinterpret particular questions, this will have a negative impact on the quality of the information received

Question 12

5

what are some common errors in question design that should be avoided where possible?

Answer 12

• overuse of jargon
• emotive language
• leading questions
• double-barrelled questions
• double negatives

Question 13

what is an overuse of jargon?

Answer 13

• jargon is technical terms that are only familiar to those within a specialised area or field
• this makes it harder for the participant to understand the question so may not be able to give an accurate answer

Question 14

what are questions with emotive language?

Answer 14

when a researcher’s attitude towards a particular topic is clear from the way in which the question is phrased

eg. ‘boxing is a barbaric sport and any sane person would want it banned’; ‘barbaric’ and ‘sane’ are emotive and should be replaced with more neutral alternatives

Question 15

what are leading questions?

Answer 15

when respondents are guided towards a particular answer

eg. ‘it is not obvious that student fees should be abolished?’

Question 16

what are double-barrelled questions?

Answer 16

• a question which contains two questions in one
• the issue is that respondents may agree with one half of the question and not the other

Question 17

what is the issue with questions with double negatives?

Answer 17

questions that include double negatives can be difficult for respondents to decipher