Self Report Designs

Question 1

What 3 elements are key to writing good questions?

Answer 1

1. Clarity
2. Bias
3. Analysis

Question 2

Summarise why clarity is important when writing good questions?

Answer 2

• The questions need to be written so the respondant understands what is being asked.
• There should be NO AMBIGUITY or double meanings.
• The use of DOUBLE MEANINGS reduced clarity.
• There should be NO DOUBLE BARRELLED questions.

Question 3

Give an example of a question that uses double negatives.

Answer 3

Are you AGAINST BANNING capital punishment?

Question 4

Give an example of a double barrelled question?

Answer 4

Do you suffer from sickness AND headaches?

Question 5

Summarise why avoiding bias is important when writing good questions?

Answer 5

• Bias can lead to a participant giving a particular answer.
• Social desirability bias; some participants may give answers to make themselves look better, instead of being totally truthful.
• Bias reduces reliability.

Question 6

Summarise why analysis is important when writing good questions?

Answer 6

• The questions need to be written so it’s easy to analyse; the type of questions used can affect this.

Question 7

What are the 2 types of questions that can affect analysis?

Answer 7

1. Open questions.
2. Closed questions.

Question 8

What are open questions?

Answer 8

• There is no set response; each may be different.
• Can give greate detail/new insights to researchers.

Question 9

Give a limitation of open questions.

Answer 9

They produce qualitative data which can be more challenging to analyse/summarise, maing clear patterns/conclusions harder to detect.

Question 10

What are closed questions?

Answer 10

• There is a set range of possible answers e.g yes/no questions.
• They are easier to analyse as they produce quantitative data.

Question 11

Give a limitation of closed questions.

Answer 11

They may not truly reflect the participants thoughts/feelings.

Question 12

What are filler questions and why are they important when writing a good questionaire?

Answer 12

• They are irrelevent questions that help to distract participants from the main purpose of the study.
• They reduce demand characteristics.

Question 13

Why is the sequence of the questions important when writing a good questionaire?

Answer 13

It is best to start with easy questions and save those that could make participants anxious or defensive, until they have relaxed.

Question 14

When writing a good questionaire, why is the sampling technique to be considered? Which sampling technique do questionares usually use?

Answer 14

• It refers to how participants are selected.
• Questionaires often use stratified sampling.

Question 15

What is a pilot study?

Answer 15

A smaller trial of the research, meaning the questionaire can be refined based on any difficulties encountered before the main study takes place.

Question 16

Summarise what is meant by recording the interview?

Answer 16

• The interviewer may take notes during an interview BUT this can interfere with them listening.
• They may not write everything down which can make the respondant feel a sense of evaluation.
• Therefore, the researcher may video/audio record the interview.

Question 17

Why is the effect of the interviewer significant in interviews? What is meant by this?

Answer 17

• The interviewers interest may increase the amount of information given by the participant.
• Researchers must be aware of behaviours that show interest.
• Non-verbal communication: head nodding, leaning forward, encouraging NOT arms crossed and frowning.
• Listening skills: understanding when/how to speak, DON’T interupt, encouraging comments.

Question 18

What is important about questioning skills in an unstructured interview?

Answer 18

• Specialist skills are required to be learned about the kinds of follow up questions that should be asked.
• Interviewers should be aware of the questions that have already been asked to avoid repetition.
• Avoid probing too much.
• Avoid asking ‘why’ too often.
• Interviewers should ask more focused questions; for the interviewee and for later analysis.