1.6 - self-reports

what are the 2 different types of self-reports?

questionnaires (people write about themselves on paper usually)
interviews (people talk about themselves face-to-face/ on telephone)

what types of questions can be used in self-reports?

open and closed

what are open-ended questions?

researcher doesn’t use pre-set questions and instead ask participants to comment on a particular topic in their own words

what are closed questions?

questions that don’t allow participants to speak freely (yes or no)

what are questionnaires?

set of written questions used to gather info about what people think, feel and do. used with a sample of the population to collect responses and make general conclusions about a topic

what is clarity when constructing questionnaires?

questions must be written clearly so that respondents can understand them. can be ensured by conducting a pilot study on colleagues and asking them to rate each question

what is bias when constructing questionnaires?

researchers must avoid reading questionnaires as they affect reliability of results. phrased in a way that can lead respondents to give ‘particular’ answers

what is social desirability bias when constructing questionnaires?

people give answers that make them look better reducing validity. confidentiality/anonymity will make people answer more honestly. can be avoided by including a ‘lie scale’ to ensure responses are valid

what are the 3 types of rating scales?

numerical, likert and semantic differential

what is a numerical rating scale