Self-Report Techniques

Question 1

Self-report Techniques:

Answer 1

Any method in which a person is asked to state or explain their own feelings, behaviours and/or experiences related to a given topic.

Question 2

Questionnaire:

Answer 2

A set of written questions used to assess a person’s thoughts and/or experiences.

Question 3

Interview:

Answer 3

A ‘live’ encounter where one person asks a set of questions to assess an interviewee’s thoughts and/or experiences. The questions may be pre-set or may develop as the interview goes along.

Question 4

Open questions:

Answer 4

1. Does not have a fixed range of answers and respondents are free to answer in any way they wish.
2. Open questions tend to produce qualitative data this is rich in depth and detail but may be detailed to analysed.

Question 5

Closed Question:

Answer 5

1. Fixed number of responses.
2. Can produce quantitative or qualitative data.

Question 6

Structured Interviews:

Answer 6

Made up of a pre-determined set of questions that are asked in a fixed order.

Question 7

Unstructured Interviews:

Answer 7

1. Works a lot life a conversation, no set instructions.
2. The general aim that a certain topic will be discussed and interaction tends to be free-flowing.
3. The interviewee is encouraged to expand and elaborate their answers as prompted by the interviewer.

Question 8

Semi-Structured Interviews:

Answer 8

1. List of questions that have been worked out in advance but interviewers are also free to ask follow-up questions when they feel it is appropriate.
2. Job interview.

Question 9

Strengths of Questionnaire:

Answer 9

1. Cost effective, can gather large amounts of data quickly because they are distributed to large numbers of people.
2. A questionnaire can be completed without the researcher being involved, like in a postal questionnaire reduces the effort.
3. The data is usually straightforward to analyse, especially when made up of largely fixed choice closed questions.
4. Lends itself quite well to statistical analysis and comparisons between groups of people can be made using graphs and charts

Question 10

Questionnaire Limitations

Answer 10

1. The response may not always be truthful, may be keen to present themselves in a positive light and this may influence their answers.
2. This a form of demand characteristic called social desirability bias.
3. Often produce response bias where respondents tend to reply in a similar way (always saying yes acquiescence bias). This may be because they complete the form too quickly.

Question 11

E: Structured Interview:

Answer 11

1. Straightforward to replicate due to their standardised format. The format also reduces differences between interviewers.
2. It is not possible to deviate from the topic or elaborate their points, may be a source of frustration.

Question 12

E: Unstructured Interviews

Answer 12

1. Much more flexibility in an unstructured than in a structured.
2. Can follow up points and are more likely to gain insight into their worldview.
3. Analysis of data is not so straight forward. May have to sift through more irrelevant data and drawing firm conclusions may be more difficult.
4. May lie for social desirability.