Educational Research Methods: Questionnaires and Thematic Analysis

Vocabulary flashcards covering questionnaire research design, administration, ethics, and the steps and approaches of thematic analysis.

Questionnaire

A structured set of questions used to collect information (facts, opinions, attitudes, experiences, and behaviours) from respondents on paper, online, or electronically.

Structured Questionnaire

A type of questionnaire that consists mainly of fixed-response questions.

Unstructured Questionnaire

A type of questionnaire that consists mainly of open-ended questions.

Mixed Questionnaire

A type of questionnaire that combines both closed and open questions.

Self-administered Questionnaire

A questionnaire completion format where respondents complete the form themselves.

Interviewer-administered Questionnaire

A questionnaire completion format where a researcher asks the questions and records the answers.

Closed-ended Questions

Questions that provide respondents with predetermined answer options, making them easy to code, count, and compare.

Open-ended Questions

Questions that allow respondents to answer in their own words, useful for exploring experiences, explanations, and suggestions.

Likert-scale Questions

Questions that measure attitudes, perceptions, or levels of agreement using a balanced scale (such as Strongly disagree to Strongly agree).

Questionnaire Blueprint

A table of specifications used to ensure every question directly measures a key variable or research objective.

Pilot Testing

A preliminary process of testing a questionnaire before the main study on respondents similar to the target population to check clarity, length, instructions, and technical issues.

Reliability

The consistency of a measurement instrument.

Validity

Whether a questionnaire measures what it is intended to measure.

Informed Consent

An ethical requirement where researchers explain the study purpose and requirements, ensuring voluntary participation and protecting participant rights.

Self-report Bias

A limitation in questionnaire research where participants provide answers based on subjective perception or social desirability rather than objective facts.

Thematic Analysis

A qualitative research method for identifying, analysing, and reporting patterns or themes within data.

Code (Qualitative)

A short label capturing an important feature, explicit statement, or underlying meaning of the qualitative data.

Theme

A meaningful pattern captured from qualitative data that connects grouped codes to answer the research question.

Familiarise Yourself with the Data (Step 1)

The first step of thematic analysis involving reading and rereading transcripts, listening to recordings, taking notes, and noticing recurring issues without deciding final themes too early.

Generate Initial Codes (Step 2)

The second step of thematic analysis where short labels are systematically assigned to relevant passages of text.

Search for Themes (Step 3)

The third step of thematic analysis involving reviewing initial codes and grouping related codes together into broader meaningful patterns.

Review Themes (Step 4)

The fourth step of thematic analysis where proposed themes are checked against coded data and the entire dataset to ensure internal coherence and overall alignment.

Define and Name Themes (Step 5)

The fifth step of thematic analysis involving clearly describing what each theme captures, identifying its central idea, and assigning concise and informative titles.

Produce the Report (Step 6)

The final step of thematic analysis where themes are presented logically, supported by selected participant quotations, and connected to existing literature.

Inductive Thematic Analysis

An approach to thematic analysis where themes are developed primarily from the raw data itself.

Deductive Thematic Analysis

An approach to thematic analysis where themes are informed by pre-existing theories, concepts, or research questions.

Semantic Analysis

Qualitative analysis focusing directly on what participants explicitly state in their responses.

Latent Analysis

Qualitative analysis exploring underlying ideas, assumptions, or meanings beneath the explicit participant statements.