Written Questionnaires

Written Questionnaires

1. Operationalisation Concepts

   • Turning abstract ideas into a measurable form.
     • When creating questionnaires for pupils, their grasp of abstract concepts is generally less than adults, making it more difficult to turn sociological ideas, such as 'cultural capital' into language that pupils will understand.
       • This may produce answers based on respondents' misunderstanding of what the question means.
       • The sociologist may over-simplify the question so much that they cease to have any sociological value.

2. Sampling Frames

   • Schools keep lists of pupils, staff and parents - can provide accurate sampling frames from which the sociologist can draw a representative sample.
     • Schools may not keep lists that reflect the researcher's interest. Even if the relevant sampling frame does exist, schools may deny access to such confidential information.
     • Distributing questionnaires may be fairly easy, but the researcher will need the school's permission first.
     • Parents may be harder to locate and contact than pupils/teachers, therefore this is overcome by using the school to distribute questionnaires.
     • Younger children - more open to peer group pressure and is difficult to prevent pupils completing questionnaires, discussing responses.
     • Questionnaires not involving the researcher being present may help to overcome problems of status differences between an adult researcher and a younger respondent.
       • A questionnaire appearing as a formal document may be found as off-putting by pupils.

3. Access and Response Rates

   • Response rates are often low. Schools may be reluctant to allow sociologists to distribute questionnaires because it may disrupt lessons or object the chosen topic.
   • When questionnaires are conducted in schools, response rates may be higher because once the head has given consent and put authority behind the research, teachers and pupils may be under pressure to cooperate.
     • Heads may authorise time out of lessons so questionnaires can be complete. High response rates = more representative data from which generalisations can be drawn.
   • Teachers and parents are accustomed to completing questionnaires issued by the school, e.g. student satisfaction surveys.
     • However, teachers are often too busy to complete lengthy questionnaires, reducing the response rate.

4. Practical Issues

   • Very useful for gathering large quantities of data quickly and cheaply.
     • E.g. Rutter (1979) used questionnaires to collect data from 12 inner London secondary schools.
       • Rutter was able to correlate achievement attendance and behaviour with variables such as class size and number of staff. This would have been more difficult with more labour-intensive methods such as interviewing/observation.
       • Data generated by questionnaires is often limited and superficial.
         • In Rutter's study the data provided correlations between such factors, but not explanations for these correlations.
   • Problem studying children: written questionnaires involve participants being able to read and understand the questions. Therefore, they are unsuitable for those who cannot read reasonably or for those with learning difficulties.
   • Teachers = well-educated professionals most likely to have experience completing questionnaires. They may therefore be able to analyse patterns of questions and recognise the researcher's aims and intentions. They may therefor adjust their answers accordingly, producing invalid data.

5. Anonymity and Detachment

   • Useful when researching sensitive educational issues such as bullying, because anonymity may overcome pupils' embarrassment or fear of retaliation from bullies.
     • Response rates may be higher and pupils may be more likely to reveal details of their experience of being bullied = more valid data.
       • Depends on whether pupils are reassured their anonymity will be safeguarded - may be difficult to achieve with a detached method as there is little or no personal contact with the researcher.
   • Interpretivist - emphasise the importance of developing rapport with participants and therefore reject using questionnaires. Lack of contact = rapport being difficult to establish, young people may be less likely to give full + honest responses.