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Interviews and questionnaires
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Sometimes the best way to find out what people think is to ask them. Interviews and questionnaires are self-report methods.
Interviews
Structured interview: the same pre-set questions are asked in the same order to everyone. Strengths: easy to compare answers and replicate (reliable); quick. Weaknesses: cannot follow up interesting answers; less detail.
Semi-structured interview: some pre-set questions, but the interviewer can ask follow-up questions. Strengths: a balance of comparability and detail. Weaknesses: answers are harder to compare; needs a skilled interviewer.
Unstructured interview: like a conversation, with a topic but few or no set questions. Strengths: rich, detailed qualitative data; the person can explain fully. Weaknesses: hard to compare or replicate (less reliable); time-consuming; interviewer may influence answers.
Semi-structured interview: some pre-set questions, but the interviewer can ask follow-up questions. Strengths: a balance of comparability and detail. Weaknesses: answers are harder to compare; needs a skilled interviewer.
Unstructured interview: like a conversation, with a topic but few or no set questions. Strengths: rich, detailed qualitative data; the person can explain fully. Weaknesses: hard to compare or replicate (less reliable); time-consuming; interviewer may influence answers.
Questionnaires
A questionnaire is a written set of questions.
Closed questions: fixed choices, such as yes/no, tick boxes or rating scales ('On a scale of 1 to 5...'). They give quantitative data. Strengths: easy to analyse and compare; quick. Weaknesses: people may be forced into answers that do not fit them; little detail.
Open questions: people answer in their own words ('Describe how you feel before an exam'). They give qualitative data. Strengths: rich detail; new ideas can emerge. Weaknesses: harder to analyse and compare; answers may be interpreted differently.
Closed questions: fixed choices, such as yes/no, tick boxes or rating scales ('On a scale of 1 to 5...'). They give quantitative data. Strengths: easy to analyse and compare; quick. Weaknesses: people may be forced into answers that do not fit them; little detail.
Open questions: people answer in their own words ('Describe how you feel before an exam'). They give qualitative data. Strengths: rich detail; new ideas can emerge. Weaknesses: harder to analyse and compare; answers may be interpreted differently.
General issues
Strengths of self-report: finds out about thoughts and feelings that cannot be observed; questionnaires can reach large samples quickly and cheaply.
Weaknesses: social desirability: people may give answers that make them look good. People may not know or remember the truth. Badly worded or leading questions can bias answers. Low response rates for questionnaires can make the sample unrepresentative.
Weaknesses: social desirability: people may give answers that make them look good. People may not know or remember the truth. Badly worded or leading questions can bias answers. Low response rates for questionnaires can make the sample unrepresentative.
A researcher wants detailed, personal accounts of how people coped after moving house. Which type of interview would suit this, and why?
- The aim is rich, detailed qualitative data in people's own words.
- An unstructured interview lets the person talk freely and the interviewer follow up.
Answer: An unstructured interview, because it gives rich, detailed qualitative data.
Structured interviews use set questions (reliable, less detail); semi-structured add follow-ups; unstructured are conversations (rich detail, less reliable). Closed questions give quantitative data; open questions give qualitative data. Self-report can suffer from social desirability bias.
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