Self-report design

Likert scales

- One in which the respondent indicates their agreement (or otherwise) with a statement using a scale of usually five points. The scale ranges from Strongly agree to Strongly disagree

Rating scales

- Works in a similar way to likert scales but gets respondents to identify a value that represents their strength of feeling about a particular topic

Fixed-choice option

- Includes a list of possible options and respondents are required to indicate those that apply to them

Writing good questions

- Clarity is essential here. If respondents are confused by or misinterpret questions, this will have a negative impact on the quality of the information received. There are errors in question design that should be avoided

Writing good questions: Overuse of Jargon

- Technical terms that are only familiar to those within a specialised field or area. This would be confusing and unnecessarily complex- the best questions are simple and easily understood

Writing good questions: Emotive language and leading questions

- Sometimes, a researcher's attitude towards a particular topic is clear from the way in which the question is phrased. Questions should be presented as neutral and should not guide the respondents towards a particular answer

Writing good questions: Double-barreled questions and double negatives

- Contains two questions in one, the issue being that respondents may agree with one half of the question and not the other. Can be difficult for respondents to decipher