self report methods

• Self-report techniques describe methods of gathering data where participants provide information about themselves without interference from the experimenter.

  Such techniques can include:

  • Questionnaires
  • interviews
• Qualitative data:

  • interpretation-based
  • Descriptive
  • relating to language.
• Quantitative data:

  • Number-based
  • countable
  • measurable
• Open questions:

  • Broad and can be answered in detail
  • E.g. what do you think of this product.
• Closed questions:

  • Narrow in focus and usually answered in 1 word
• Questionnaires:

  • Set of written questions designed to collect information
  • Always pre-determined (structured)
  • Can provided both qualitative and quantitative data
• writing good questions

  1. Clarity = Do not use double negatives (are you against banning capital punishment. Also do not use double barrelled questions (do you suffer from sickness and headaches).
  2. Bias = Do not use leading question which make one answer more attractive than the other
  3. Analysis = Questions need to be written so they are easy to analyse.
• writing good questionairs

  • Filler questions – include some irrelevant questions to distract the respondent from the main purpose of the questionnaire.
  • Sequence for the questions – Start with the easy questions
  • Sampling techniques – How to select the respondents. Often used stratified sampling.
  • Pilot study – test the questions on a small group of people
• Strengths

  • Used quickly and cheaply to access a large sample
  • Respondents may feel comfortable to reveal personal info
  • Reduces experimenter bias which can be found in interviews
  • No special training needed as in interviews
• Weaknesses

  • Sample may be biased to those willing to fill it out Can take a lot of time to produce
  • Respondents can not ask questions or check understanding
• Weaknesses

  • Sample may be biased to those willing to fill it out
  • Can take a lot of time to produce
  • Respondents can not ask questions or check understanding
• Structured interview:

  • Has predetermined questions
  • No deviation from original ‘script’
• Unstructured interview:

  • New questions are developed during the course of the interview
  • May begin with general aims and following questions are based on previous answers