Self-report Techniques

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A questionnaire is a set of questions that are designed to collect information about a topic or topics.

2 greats strengths of questionnaires are:

1. Correct the same information from a large number of people relatively easily.

2. Can access what people think - observations and experiments rely on 'guessing' what people think and feel on the basis of how they behave. With a questionnaire you can ask people directly; whether they can, and do, give you truthful answers in another matter.

Designing questionnaires

When writing good questions there are 3 main principles:

1. Clarity. Questions need to be written so that the respondent understands what is being asked. This is achieved to operationalise certain terms. There should be NO ambiguity.

2. Bias. Any bias questions might lead to the respondent to be more likely to give a particular answer like leading questions. This can result in social desirability bias.

3. Analysis. Questions need to be written so that the answers are easy to analyse. Open questions are questions that invite the respondents to provide their own answers rather than select one of those provided. These tend to produce qualitative data. Closed questions give a range of answers which respondents select one; produces quantitative data. These answers are easier to analyse.

A good questionnaire should contain good questions. Some things to consider when designing a good questionnaire are:

Filler questions. These are irrelevant questions to distract the respondent from the main purpose of the survey. May reduce demand characteristics.

Sequence for the questions. May be best to start with easier ones, saving questions that might make someone anxious or defensive until the respondent is relaxed.

Sampling technique. Often used stratified or quota sampling.

Pilot Study. Questions could be tested on a small group of people so the questions can later be refined in response to any difficulties encountered.

An interview is a research method or technique that involves face to face interaction with another individual and results in the collection of data.

These interviews can be structured or unstructured.

1. Structured interview. These have pre-determined questions (decided in advance), i.e. a questionnaire that is delivered face-to-face with deviation from the original questions.

2. Unstructured. Questions are developed as you go along. (Interview starts of with some general aims and possibly some questions, and lets the interviewee's answers guide subsequent questions.)

The semi-structured approach combines both structured and unstructured interviews, similar to the way your GP might talk to you.

This approach is also called the clinical interview.

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