questionaires

• • Non-experimental, self-report method
  • Participants record their own responses
• open question = participant can answer however they wish
• closed question = participant is limited to select a response from a list of predetermined answers
• semantic differential scale = participants select a point on a rating scale that has 2 bi-polar adjectives at each end
• likert scale = participants are asked to indicate how strongly they agree or disagree with each statement on a scale
• strengths:

  • Closed questions produce quantitative data - easier to analyse
  • Open questions produce qualitative data - may provide in depth answers, rich in detail
  • easy to repeat - data can be collected from large numbers of participants
  • Participants are more likely to reveal personal info in questionnaire - more anonymous than an interview
• Weaknesses:

  • In closed questions, respondents may be forced to select answers that do not reflect their thought/feelings - affects validity
  • Open questions can be difficult to analyse due to large number of possible answers - difficult to draw conclusions
  • Different questions may be interpreted differently by different participants - affects validity