Self reporting and case studies Flashcards
How can researchers use self reporting?
They can use interviews or questionnaires
What are the types of question used in a questionnaire and describe them
Open - can give any response
Closed - yes/no/options to pick from
Likert - 1-10 scale/how many stars
What are the strengths of questionnaires?
- can distribute them to large numbers
- closed/likert = easy analysis of data
- less time consuming
- no pressure from others
- gathers qualitative and quantitative data
What are the limitations of questionnaires?
- low validity if answers aren’t honest
- low response rate
- loss of detail
- social desirability bias
- may include leading questions
What are the 3 types of interview and describe them
Structured - set questions, set order
Semi-structured - some set questions to cover but room for expansion
Unstructured - more like a conversation
What are the strengths of interviews?
- allows for detail and complexity of answers -validity
- checking of understanding
- body language/ emotion can be read
- can alter approach to fit the participant
What are the limitations of interviews?
- time consuming
- harder to analyse data
- smaller sample
- subjective interpretation
- interviewer presence
- mainly qualitative data
What are case studies and why are they used?
- small study of an individual/ small group
- involve triangulation (using a range of methods)
- they’re undertaken to investigate uncommon/unique conditions/people/situations
What are the strengths of case studies?
- gathers data not otherwise possible
- high external validity
- triangulation = higher validity
- rich and in-depth data
What are the limitations of case studies?
- generalisation problems
- low reliability
- low accuracy
Describe pilot studies
- mini versions of a full-scale study
- they increase the likelihood of success in the main study
Describe ethical guidelines
Researchers follow codes or rules of conduct when carrying out research to protect participants from harm
Describe the acronym for ethical guidelines
Deception
Right to withdraw
Informed consent
Privacy and confidentiality
Protection from harm
Describe the procedural issues of informed consent
- duration of the experiment
- how you’ll be assessed
- not invasive
- how you’ll be allocated to conditions
Describe the ethical issues of informed consent
- no pressure to consent
- can withdraw at any time
- full debrief at the end
- do you have any questions?
