Flashcards
Social Surveys - Interviews and Questionnaires
Cards in this deck (11)
- 1What are structural/formal interviews?It involves asking standardised questions (mainly closed) to a large number of people. The researcher asks and records the answers. It can be conducted face-to-face or via the telephone.
- 2What are specific advantages of structual/formal interviews? (positivist)-The response rates are usually higher than any other survey methods - 60% to 85%. This pushes up the reliability and representativeness of findings (T)
-No confusion over question meanings or how to answer them - can be explained by the researcher. Increase validity and reliability (T)
-Interviewers can be trained up quickly and relative inexpensively (P)
-Quick and cheap compared to informal interviews (P) - 3What are the disadvantages of structural/formal interviews? (Interpretivists)- Could suffer from interviewer bias. The way the questions are phrased and the interviewers' body and facial mannerisms can still distort results, lowering validity and reliability (T)
-More expensive than other survey methods e.g. postal questionnaires. Interviewers have to be paid (P)
-Structural interviews can take longer than other survey methods (P) - 4What are mailed questionnaires? What is another types of questionnaire?They are a type of written or self completion method which is sent out via the post or email. The respondents then fill in the questionnaire and mail it back, normally are ore paid envelop or electronically.
On the spot. - 5Advantages of mailed questionnaires (positivists)- Can cover large geographical areas. Reliability increases as a consequence (T)
-The researcher is detached and objective and therefore bias in minimal which increases reliability of the findings (T)
-Gives pps time to think about responses, increasing validity (T)
- Allow for anonymity and detachment (T)
-Quick and cheap compared to other methods. No interviewer to pay (P) - 6Disadvantages of mailed questionnaires (interpretivists)-Mailed questionnaires can receive low response rates (25% to 50%). This can destroy the representativeness of sample. Reliability is lowered. May need to offer an incentive (T)
-No one to explain the questions or instructions for completion. Could mean they are incomplete or spoiled, reducing validity or reliability.
- Cannot be sure a pps has received the questionnaire and cannot guarantee that the questionnaire is completed by who it is addressed to. - 7General theoretical advantages of quantitative surveys. Positivists favour all types of survey methods for the following reasons:-Large sample size, pushes up representativeness and reliability and allows for generalisations.
-Results are verifiable and reliable because the questions are standardised. Allows for comparisons.
-Quantifiable - use of largely closed ended questions makes it possible to produce statistics and establish relationships and correlations.
-They are useful for testing hypotheses about cause and effect. - 8General theoretical disadvantages of qualitative surveys. Interpretivists do not favour all types of survey method for the following reasons:- People may lie as no rapport us built up with the researcher. People may forget or not know how to answer some questions. Lowers vaildity.
-Closed questions can produce shallow answers as the questions limit what the respondent says. Lack of depth, insight, meanings and feelings. Validity is lowered.
-Impose researchers meanings, lowers validity.
-Lack of flexibility is that the questions are pre-defined, lowers validity
-Feminists argue that they are patriarchal and give a distorted, invalid picture of women's experiences - 9What does Graham (1983) on feminists opinion on theoretical disadvantages?Graham argues that the researcher, not the female interviewee is in control of the interview and the line of questioning which mirrors women's subordination in wider society. Futhermore, surveys impose the researcher's categories on women, making it difficult for them to express their experiences of oppression, thus concealing unequal power relationships
- 10General ethical considerations for all survey methods/- Gained informed consent and ensure pps remain anonymous
-Right to withdraw
-Make sure questions are not too instrusive or sensitive - be clear there is no obligation to answer sensitive questions - 11General practical problems of all survey methods- Operationalising sociological concepts so that they are understandable to the public can be difficult
-Access problems
-Having to keep questionnaires short
-Surveys are often perceived as formal and official documents.
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- A-level Sociology (Paper 1 and 3 - Research Methods and Theory) Flashcards on Social Surveys - Interviews and Questionnaires, created by Catherine Rayner on 30/11/2017.
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- Catherine Rayner
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