Self-report techniques

• Self-report technique


  A research technique in which the participant knowingly responds to questions revealing personal information about themselves
• Self-report techniques


  • Questionnaires
  • Interviews
• Questionnaire


  A list of pre-prepared questions that gets sent to the participants, who then fill out the questions and send them back
• Interview


  A real-time conversation with a researcher, usually face to face but could be over the phone or via text message
• Open question


  A question in which the participant is able to answer in any way they want
• Closed question


  A question in which the participant has a limited number of options, such as yes/no, a series of fixed choices, or points on a scale
• Qualitative data


  Data in the form of words
• Quantitative data


  Data in the form of numbers
• Designing questionnaires and interviews

  1. Make sure questions are clear

  2. Avoid biased/leading questions

  3. Consider piloting the questionnaire or interview

  4. Use filler questions to put participants at ease or hide the true aims of the study
• Structured interview


  The researcher has a full list of questions that are asked in order
• Structured interviews


  • Don't need a fully trained interviewer
  • Easier to compare interviews as all interviewees have the same experience
  • Can't develop on interesting points made by interviewee
• Unstructured interview


  The interviewer hasn't prepared every question, it's a free-flowing informal conversation with a general topic to discuss
• Unstructured interviews


  • Likely to develop rapport with participants
  • Can develop on interesting points made by interviewee
  • Need a highly trained interviewer
  • Hard to compare multiple interviews
• Semi-structured interview


  A mix of prepared questions and the ability to ask new ones
• Semi-structured interviews


  • Need a highly trained interviewer
  • Can compare answers to fixed questions
  • Can ask new questions to develop unexpected insights
• Evaluation of self-report techniques

  • Strengths: Easy to replicate, use of open and closed questions, opportunity for detailed information
  • Weaknesses: Suffer from bias, especially social desirability bias