Research Instruments - created from Mind Map

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Questionnaries: The questionnaire is a tool designed for quantitative data collection, and is widely used in research, as it is a good research instrument for collecting standardized data and making generalizations. Questionnaires can provide quick responses, but due care must be taken when designing them to ensure that the response received is not influenced. The design of the questionnaire should reflect the objectives of the research.

Interviews: Interviews are a tool primarily for qualitative data collection and are popular as instruments for gathering information because of their flexibility. The interactions generated in an interview can be presented in a structured or semi-structured form to generate ideas and concepts. When planning and considering an interview, the following factors are taken into account: thoroughness, tact, accuracy, confidentiality.

Content analysis is a very useful tool based on the analysis and interpretation of documentary sources and on identifying the codes used by the sender of the discourse, its manifest content, the context in which the message arises and develops, in order to discover and evidence its contents. The objective is to know not only what is literally transmitted, but also everything that may implicitly influence or condition the message.

Focus groups: It is a qualitative method of data collection. It is a group interview technique, a neutral moderator, whose objective is to collect information on a limited number of predefined questions. The realization of focus groups requires the respect of certain methodological rules to ensure validity and scientific character.

Observations: Is a research technique that consists of observing people, phenomena, facts, cases, objects, actions, situations, etc., in order to obtain certain information necessary for an investigation.

Interviewing requires specialized skills on the part of the interviewer, who will need to have a good rapport with the interviewee to ensure that a very detailed and valid set of qualitative data is actually collected and transcribed effectively. There are different types of interviews: individual, face-to-face verbal exchange, face-to-face, group interviews (focus groups), telephone surveys.

It is one of the instruments for gathering information that allows to explore and stimulate different points of view, thanks to the meeting of different personalities that favor the expression and discussion of opinions.

It is necessary to have 5 elements: Subject or observer: the researcher who carries out the observation. Object of observation: the facts about which data will be collected. Circumstances of observation: conditions surrounding the fact to be observed. Means of observation: senses and instruments developed for observation. Body of knowledge: structured body of knowledge that allows the results obtained from the observation to be added to it.