Self Reports Flashcards
what are pros and cons of using questionnaires?
pro: can be easily repeated so that data can be collected from large numbers of people relatively cheaply and quickly
pro: respondents may feel more willing to reveal personal/confidential information in a questionnaire rather than an interview
con: sample may be biased because only certain types of people fill in questionnaires (e.g. those with time, literate)
what is a closed question?
a question with a fixed number of possible answers
provides quantitative data
what are pros and cons of closed questions?
pro: easy to analyse because data is quantitative so can be summarised using averages and graphs - easier to draw conclusions
con: may not permit people to express their precise feelings and tends not to uncover new insights - may be low in validity
con: oversimplified reality and the human experience because it suggests there are simple answers
what is an open question?
a question that invites respondents to. provide their own answers
produces qualitative data
what are pros and cons of open questions?
pro: provides rich details of how people behave because they are given free range to express themselves - not restricted by preconceived categories
con: more difficult to detect patterns and draw conclusions because there are likely to be a range of respondents’ answers
what are likert scales and semantic differential rating scales?
likert: scales that allow people to indicate how much they agree or disagree with a statement
semantic: scales that measure people’s attitude towards something
what are pros and cons of rating scales?
pro: reasonably objective way to represent feelings and attitudes towards the topic
pro: produces quantitative data which is easily to analyse and display in graphs
con: respondents may avoid ends of scales and go for the middle - thus answers do not represent true feelings (lack validity)
what are structured, semi-structured and unstructured interviews?
structured: predetermined questions delivered by an interviewer who does not probe beyond the answers received
semi-structured: some questions predetermined but new questions developed also as the interview proceeds
unstructured: no questions decided in advanced
what are pros and cons of structured interviews?
pro: can be easily repeated
pro: easier to analyse than unstructured because answers are more predictable
con: interviewer’s expectations may influence the answers the interviewee gives (researcher bias)
what are pros and cons of semi-structured and unstructured interviews?
pro: more detailed information can be obtained because subsequent questions are specially shaped to the participant
pro: can access info that may not be revealed by predetermined questions
con: more affected by interviewer bias because interviewer may inadvertently ask leading questions
con: requires well-trained interviewers, making it more expensive
