Methods

Interviews

A common data collection technique involving direct questioning, which includes telephone and face-to-face interactions.

Self-administered questionnaires

Surveys where respondents answer questions without an interviewer present, often in hard copy or online format.

Scientific & structured surveys

Surveys that employ a systematic approach, utilizing representative samples and easily replicable methods.

Sources of error

Factors such as poorly worded questions, misunderstandings, memory issues, and biases that can affect the reliability of data collected.

Standardization

The process of ensuring consistency in the administration and recording of survey responses to minimize error.

Interview schedule

A formal list of questions that the interviewer must ask in the same order and manner during every interview.

Intra-interviewer variability

Variability in data collection due to one interviewer being inconsistent in questioning or recording.

Inter-interviewer variability

Differences in responses when multiple interviewers are involved, potentially leading to inconsistency in data.

Close-ended questions

Questions that provide respondents with specific choices to choose from, limiting their responses.

Open-ended questions

Questions that allow respondents to answer freely in their own words, providing richer qualitative data.

Cognitive dissonance

The psychological discomfort experienced when holding contradictory beliefs or when behaviors conflict with beliefs.

Social desirability bias

The tendency of respondents to provide answers that they believe are socially acceptable rather than their true feelings.

Item non-response

A situation in which respondents do not answer certain questions within a survey.

Survey non-response

Occurs when potential respondents refuse to participate in a survey, impacting sample data.

Probes

Follow-up questions used to encourage respondents to provide more detailed information without leading them.

Computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI)

A data collection method where interview schedules are programmed into a computer for telephone surveys.

Computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI)

A method of data collection involving in-person interviews with a computerized schedule.

Pilot studies

Small-scale preliminary studies conducted to test the feasibility, time, cost, and adverse events involved in research.

The Guinea Pig effect

A reactive effect observed when study participants alter their behavior because they know they are being observed.

Covert observation

A research method where subjects are unaware they are being observed, raising ethical considerations.

Participant observation

A qualitative research method where the researcher immerses themselves in the group being studied.

Content analysis

A research technique for systematically analyzing communication content, useful for qualitative and quantitative analysis.

Ecological fallacy

An error in reasoning where conclusions about individual behavior are drawn from group data.

Validity

The degree to which a research instrument measures what it is supposed to measure.

Reliability

The consistency of a research method or instrument across time and contexts.

Qualitative research

Research that seeks to understand human behavior from the informant's perspective, focusing on narrative and depth.

Quantitative research

Research that seeks to quantify data and generalize results from a sample to the population of interest.

Ethical considerations

Guidelines that address the moral aspects of conducting research, including informed consent and participant privacy.