Self-report Techniques

Question 1

What are the different self report techniques?

Answer 1

Questionnaires
Interviews

Question 2

What are the issues with self-report?

Answer 2

Social desirability bias
Interviewer bias

Question 3

What is the list of questions in an interview called?

Answer 3

The interview schedule

Question 4

How can you reduce interviewer bias?

Answer 4

By standardizing the questions

Question 5

Why could it be useful to record an interview?

Answer 5

Writing notes could interfere with the listening skills of the interviewer

Writing notes may make the respondent feel a sense of evaluation

Question 6

How can the interviewer affect an interview?

Answer 6

If they appear interested it can increase the amount of information the respondent gives

Non-verbal communication (such as head-nodding and leaning forward) can encourage the respondent to speak

Question 7

Why should an interviewer use active listening skills?

Answer 7

They need to know when and how to speak and to use encouraging comments

Question 8

What are some key skills for unstructured interviews?

Answer 8

Use follow up questions

Avoid repeating same/similar questions

Avoid probing too much

Don’t ask ‘why’ too much, use more focused questions

Question 9

What are some things you have to consider when making a questionnaire?

Answer 9

Open/closed questions

Clarity (do they understand what is being asked)

Bias (do questions lead to a particular answer)

Sequencing/structure of questions

Sampling techniques

Question 10

What are the strengths of using closed questions?

Answer 10

Produces quantitative data that can be used to produce graphs and calculations

Data produced is easier to analyze

Question 11

What are the limitations of using closed questions?

Answer 11

Limited range of answers

Respondents may be forced to tick answers which don’t represent their real thoughts/behaviours

Participants may select ‘don’t know’ so data is not informative — weakens internal validity

Question 12

What are the strengths of using open questions?

Answer 12

Respondents can expand on their answers, increasing amount and detail on information

Can get new insights from unexpected answers

Question 13

What are the limitations of using open questions?

Answer 13

Respondents likely to avoid getting into lengthy answers

Qualitative data produced can be difficult to summarize (harder to protect patterns)

Question 14

What are the different types of closed questions?

Answer 14

Likert scale
Rating scale
Fixed-choice option

Question 15

What are the strengths of questionnaires?

Answer 15

Cost effective

Can gather large amounts of data quickly

Can be completed without a researcher present

Data allows you to make comparisons between groups

Question 16

What are the weaknesses of using questionnaires?

Answer 16

Social desirability bias

Respondents may lie

Response bias (eg. respondents may reply in similar ways - could have completed it too quickly and put any answer)

Question 17

What are the strengths of structured interviews?

Answer 17

Standardized so easy to replicate

Format reduces differences between interviewers

Question 18

What are the weaknesses of structured interviews?

Answer 18

Not possible for the interviewer to deviate from the topic or explain questions which limits the richness of data and limits unexpected information

Question 19

What are the strengths of unstructured interviews?

Answer 19

Flexibility — can follow up points and gain insights

Can get unexpected information

Question 20

What are the weaknesses of unstructured interviews?

Answer 20

Risk of social desirability bias

Increased risk of interviewer bias

Conclusions may be difficult as not all data will be relevant