Theory and Methods

Outline and explain two practical problems of using questionnaires in sociological research. 1

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One practical problem of using questionnaires in sociological research is that they may not be clearly designed for all participants to understand. This means that young children or individuals with low literacy skills may struggle to read or interpret questions, leading to inaccurate or incomplete responses.

Outline and explain two practical problems of using questionnaires in sociological research. 1

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For example, Hite’s study of love and relationships received a low response rate of 4.5% due to self-selection bias- those who were literate or motivated were more likely to complete and return their questionnaires. This is a practical problem because unclear design and low accessibility can reduce rates, making it difficult for researchers to obtain a representative sample and draw accurate generalisations.

Outline and explain two practical problems of using questionnaires in sociological research. 1

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Therefore, questionnaires may pose practical issues as low response rates and accessibility lead to unrepresentative data, ultimately reducing the effectiveness of the research.

Outline and explain two practical problems of using questionnaires in sociological research. 2

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One practical problem of using questionnaires in sociological research is that they may require additional costs. This means that researchers may need to offer incentives- such as entry into a prize draw- to increase participation.

Outline and explain two practical problems of using questionnaires in sociological research. 2

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For example, some large-scale surveys such as the British Social Attitudes Survey have previously offered cash incentives and vouchers to increase participation. This is a practical issue because the need for incentives and postage raises the overall cost of research, particularly when dealing with large sample sizes.