Self Reports: The Different Types Of Questions

Question 1

What is an open Q

Answer 1

A question that allows the participant to give their own answers with limitations

Question 2

What type of data does open Qs generate

Answer 2

• Qualitative data

Question 3

Strengths of open Qs

Answer 3

• more likely to generate rich qualitative data so participants can express opinions full, increasing validity
• allows elaboration of how/why people think, increasing validity
• less chance of ambiguous answers (say what they like rather than yes yes yes etc)

Question 4

Weaknesses of open Qs

Answer 4

• responses may be time consuming for the researcher to analyse
• harder to directly compare with other participants’ responses
• interpreting qualitative data can be subjective, leading to researcher bias

Question 5

What is a forced choice closed question

Answer 5

• it allows participants to select a response that’s limited
  NOTE: must have a command (e.g. circle one)

Question 6

What type of data does a forced choice closed Q generate

Answer 6

Quantitative data

Question 7

Strengths of forced choice closed Qs

Answer 7

• generates quantifiable data that’s easy for the researcher to interpret / analyse
• easier to directly compare with other participants responses

Question 8

Weaknesses of forced choice closed Qs

Answer 8

• forced choice response may not reveal full extent of people’s thinking, lowers validity
• doesn’t allow elaboration on how/why participant’s think that way

Question 9

What is a likert scale (closed Q)

Answer 9

Type of Q where participants are given a statement and are asked how much they agree with it
NOTE: must have a command (e.g. circle one)

Question 10

What type of data does a likert scale produce

Answer 10

Turns qualitative opinions into quantitive format

Question 11

Strengths of a likert scale

Answer 11

• turns qualitative opinions into quantitative data —> easy for researcher to compare + analyse
• easy to compare between participants —> find patterns and trends
• large amounts of data can be collected quickly because its easy for participants to respond —> makes results more representative

Question 12

Weaknesses of likert scale

Answer 12

• different people may interpret the numbers differently, lowering reliability as there’s less consistency
• people tend to select the middle value if there’s one = can’t collect opinions = can’t get valid data
• may not reveal full extent of people’s thinking as they lack detail, lowers validity

Question 13

What is a Rating scale (closed Q)

Answer 13

• participants rate their response between an opposing pair of descriptive words (bipolar adjectives)
  NOTE: must have a command (e.g. circle one)
• e.g. calm 1 2 3 4 5 tense

Question 14

What type of data does a rating scale (closed Q) generate

Answer 14

Quantitive

Question 15

Strengths of Rating scale (closed Q)

Answer 15

• turns qualitative opinions into quantitative data —> easy for researcher to compare + analyse
• easy to compare between participants —> find patterns and trends
• large amounts of data can be collected quickly because its easy for participants to respond —> makes results more representative

Question 16

Weakness of Rating scale (closed Q)

Answer 16

• different people may interpret the numbers differently, lowering reliability as there’s less consistency
• people tend to select the middle value if there’s one = can’t collect opinions = can’t get valid data
• may not reveal full extent of people’s thinking as they lack detail, lowers validity
• people with limited vocabulary can’t do the questions