Self-Report Techniques

• What is a questionnaire?

  A list of written questions
• What are the strengths of using questionnaires?

  • Cost-effective
  • Quick data gathering
  • Can reach many people
  • No researcher presence needed
  • Straightforward data analysis
  • Allows comparisons with graphs and charts
• What are the limitations of using questionnaires?

  • Responses may not be truthful
  • Respondents may present positively
  • Influenced by social desirability bias
  • Often produce response bias
• What type of data do open questions produce?

  Qualitative data
• What is a characteristic of open questions?

  Respondents can answer freely
• What type of data do closed questions produce?

  Quantitative data
• What is a characteristic of closed questions?

  They have fixed response choices
• What is an interview?

  A face-to-face question-asking encounter
• What are the three types of interviews?

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

  • Easy to replicate
  • Standardized format reduces differences
• What are the limitations of structured interviews?

  • Cannot deviate from topics
  • Limited information gathered
• What are the strengths of unstructured interviews?

  • More flexibility in questioning
  • Follow-up questions can be asked
  • Likely to gain unexpected information
• What are the limitations of unstructured interviews?

  • Increased risk of interviewer bias
  • Difficult data analysis
  • Interviewees may lie for social desirability
• What defines semi-structured interviews?

  • Pre-set questions with follow-up flexibility
• How do structured interviews differ from unstructured interviews?

  Structured interviews have fixed questions; unstructured do not
• What is a potential issue with data analysis in open questions?

  They may produce a wide range of difficult responses
• What is a potential issue with data analysis in closed questions?

  They may lack depth and detail