Types of self report

• What is a questionnaire?

  A set of questions designed to investigate a particular topic
• Strengths of using a questionnaire?

  1. Can be sent by hand, post, internet so lots of data can be collected
  2. Quick and easy
  3. Large sample
  4. Can get people live far apart
  5. Replicability- since they are standardised studies involving them can be easily replicated strengthening certainty in the findings
  6. Quantifiable- provide data in a consistent format which means it can be studied in an objective way
• What are the two types of questions in a questionnaire?

  Open and closed questions
• What is an open question?

  A question that allows respondents to provide their own responses
• What is a closed question?

  A question that has a fixed set of responses
• What are the strengths of using questionnaires?

  • Can be distributed widely (hand, post, internet)
  • Quick and easy to complete
  • Can gather data from a large sample
  • Allows for responses from people far apart
  • Standardized for replicability
  • Provides quantifiable data
• What are the weaknesses of using questionnaires?

  • Depend on participants' reading ability
  • Cannot control interpretation of questions
  • Potential for biased samples
  • Risk of dishonest answers
  • Less detail compared to interviews
• What are the three types of interviews?

  Structured, semi-structured, and unstructured
• What are the characteristics of structured interviews?

  • Series of fixed questions
  • Limited range of answers
  • Fast to complete
  • Provides rich data that is easy to sample
• What are the characteristics of semi-structured interviews?

  • Open-ended questions
  • Respondents can speak freely
  • Provides more depth
  • Difficult to compare answers
• What are the characteristics of unstructured interviews?

  • No prepared questions or schedule
  • Broad aim with no strict rules
• What are the strengths of interviews?

  • Provide detailed data
  • Allow deeper exploration of topics
  • Replicability in structured interviews
  • Avoid oversimplifying issues
  • Greater attention to individual viewpoints
• What are the weaknesses of interviews?

  • Demand characteristics/interviewer effects
  • Lack of quantifiable data
  • Time-consuming and expensive