Methods

• What is an open questionnaire?

  A self-complete form with questions which allow the respondent to answer in as much detail as they want
• What is a closed questionnaire?

  A self-complete form with questions which give a set of responses that the respondent can choose from
• What is a web based questionnaire?

  A self complete form which is sent out via the internet or using a site such as survey monkey
• Practical strengths of questionnaires:

  • Easy
  • Cheap
  • Lack of researcher effects
  • Quick to analyse and conclude
• Practical weaknesses of questionnaires:

  • Low response rate
  • Misunderstandings
  • Answer may not fit those given
  • Leading questions
• Ethical strengths of questionnaires:

  • Completing it is informed consent
  • Anonymous
• Ethical weaknesses of questionnaires:

  • Questions may be sensitive
• Theoretical strengths of questionnaires:

  • Detailed data
  • Reliable
  • Large sample
  • Easy to quantify and analyse
  • Detachment and objectivity
• Theoretical weaknesses of questionnaires:

  • Participants may lie
  • Someone other than the intended participant may answer
  • Right answerism
  • Lack of rapport
• What is an unstructured interview?

  A conversation between the researcher and the participant where the questions are based on the answers given
• What is a structured interview?

  A conversation between the researcher and the participant where the questions are set in advance
• What is a group interview?

  Where the interview involves more than one participant
• Practical strengths of interviews:

  • Rapport
  • Flexibility
  • Clarification of questions
• Practical weaknesses of interviews:

  • Time
  • Cost and training
• Ethical strengths of interviews:

  • Sensitive topics
• Ethical weaknesses of interviews:

  • Questions could harm if sensitive
• Theoretical strengths of interviews:

  • Detailed and in depth
  • Reliable
  • Hard to quantify
• Theoretical weaknesses of interviews:

  • Hard to quantify
  • Demand characteristics
  • Unreliable
  • Small sample
  • Peer group influence
• What is an overt observation?

  Where a researcher tells the participants they are being observed and what they are being observed for
• What is a covert observation?

  Where the researcher doesn't tell the participants that they are being observed until after the study is complete
• What is a participant observation?

  Where the researcher becomes a member of the group they are researching
• What is a non-participant observation?

  Where a researcher watched the group from outside without taking part
• Practical strengths of observations:

  • Flexible
  • Researcher can ask questions
  • Only an option with some groups
• Practical weaknesses of observations?

  • Time
  • Cost
  • Researcher effect
  • Requires skill
  • Memory
  • Access
• Ethical weaknesses of observations:

  • Lacks informed consent
  • Privacy can be breached
  • ’Going native’
• Theoretical strengths of observations:

  • In depth detailed data
  • Allows for verstehen
• Theoretical weaknesses of observations:

  • Hawthorne effect
  • Hard to quantify
  • Small sample
  • Unreliable
• What is a lab experiment?

  A study that takes place in a lab where the researcher is able to manipulate and control all the variables
• What is a field experiment?

  Takes place in real life settings
• Practical strengths of experiments:

  • Controlled variables
• Practical weaknesses of experiments:

  • Time
  • Cost
• Ethical weaknesses of experiments:

  • Deception to deal with experimenter effects
• Theoretical strengths of experiments:

  • Highly reliable
  • Causation can be determined
• Theoretical weaknesses of experiments:

  • Validity - not normal setting
  • Researcher effects
  • Small sample
• What are official statistics?

  Numerical data produced by government or government agencies
• Practical strengths of official statistics:

  • Cheap
  • Easily accessible
• Practical weaknesses of official statistics:

  • Not specific to the research
• Theoretical strengths of official statistics:

  • Large sample
  • Valid
  • Reliable
• Theoretical weaknesses of official statistics:

  • Bias
• What are unofficial statistics?

  Numerical data collected by charities and other organisations