Questionnaires

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Research method - Questionnaires

Advantages

  • Quick & cheap - can collect a large amount of data from a large number of people.
  • No training needed so cheaper than interviews.
  • Quick analysis of quantitative data if closed questions used.
  • No real ethical issues - by filling in the questionnaire, respondent gives consent to take part in the study. As long as they are told the nature of the research & give informed consent - the research is ethical.
  • High reliability if closed questions used - if repeated, similar results should be achieved as they are standardised (same questions asked in same order), so you should get similar answers when repeated.
  • Objective (unbiased) method according to positivists if closed questions used then researcher can just count responses - no interpretation needed.
  • Representative if a large sample and/or a representative sampling method is used - can generalise findings.
  • High in validity - can be done anonymously so people may be more honest when answering - increasing validity.
  • EDUCATION ADVANTAGES:
  • Response rates may be higher in education as heads may make sure teachers & students co-operate - meaning larger samples. Combined with using a variety of schools - this means results can be generalised.
  • High in validity - can e anonymous so topics like bullying can be studied as students may be more honest than in interviews (face-to-face).

Disadvantages

  • Representativeness - the illiterate cannot be studied if they can't read the questionnaire;.
  • Low response rate - if sent by post, you may not get a lot back and you also do not know who has actually filled it in - can be overcome by giving incentives (rewards) or by collecting them in yourself, but these add time/cost.
  • Low in validity - if closed questions are used as people can't give detailed answers/may not be able to give the answer they want.
  • Low in validity - people may lie (if the researcher is present when completing the questionnaire) or give a wrong answer (if researcher isn't there to help clarify questions) - lowering validity.
  • Subjective (biased) - interpretivists argue that the questions/answers in closed questions are decided by researcher - based on their opinions of what is important in the study.
  • EDUCATION DISADVANTAGES:
  • Access to a sampling frame (e.g. list of parents) could be difficult - Data Protection Laws.
  • Operationalising concepts can be difficult, especially turning sociological concepts into language that students can understand.
  • Choice of topic - e.g. studying anti-school subcultures may be hard as students may not want to co-operate with the researcher or may not be in schools to take part.
  • Low response rate - schools may not want students taken out of lessons, etc. to fill in questionnaires & then findings can't be generalised.
  • Informed consent - have to get it from parents & this may be difficult as students may lose letters given to take home.

Evaluation

Involves asking a set of pre-determined questions in a set order, with the respondents filling in the answers. Can be distributed in person, through the post, by e-mail or the internet. There are two types of questions used:- Closed questions - choosing an answer from a limited range of answers e.g. 'Yes', 'No' or 'Maybe' and produce quantitative (numerical) data.- Open questions allow the respondent to give whatever answer they wish & produce qualitative (spoken/written) data.

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