A. Longitudinal Surveys

A social survey involves the ___ ___ of mainly ___ ___ from a fairly large number of people.

A social survey involves the systematic collection of mainly quantitative data from a fairly large number of people.

Social surveys usually obtain this information through ___ or, less often, through ___ ___.

Social surveys usually obtain this information through questionnaires or, less often, through structured interviews.

Longitudinal surveys study the same group of people over a ___ ___ of time.

Longitudinal surveys study the same group of people over a long period of time.

Longitudinal surveys provide us with a ___ ___ of changes in ___ and ___ over a number of years.

Longitudinal surveys provide us with a clear image of changes in attitudes and behaviour over a number of years.

The National ___ ___ Study has followed the same ___ children all born in one week in March 1958.

• Follow up studies have surveyed the group at ages of ___, ___, and ___ in order to track the influence of ___, ___ and ___ on their health

The National Child Development Study has followed the same 40,000 children all born in one week in March 1958.

• Follow up studies have surveyed the group at ages of 16, 23, and 33 in order to track the influence of class, education and family on their health

Longitudinal surveys can be problematic as respondents may ___ ___ or researchers may ___ ___ of them, which undermines the ___ of the original sample.

Longitudinal surveys can be problematic as respondents may drop out or researchers may lose track of them, which undermines the representativeness of the original sample.

Longitudinal surveys can be problematic as the views of those who ___ in the sample may be significantly different to those who ___ ___, which may undermine the ___ of the research.

Longitudinal surveys can be problematic as the views of those who remain in the sample may be significantly different to those who drop out, which may undermine the validity of the research.

Longitudinal surveys can be problematic as there is a danger that the research team may get ___ ___ with members of the group and therefore lose their ability to be ___.

Longitudinal surveys can be problematic as there is a danger that the research team may get too friendly with members of the group and therefore lose their ability to be objective.

Longitudinal surveys can be problematic as they are ___.

Longitudinal surveys can be problematic as they are expensive.