1.3.5

Questionnaires

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Questionnaires

Questionnaires are one of the main tools of positivist sociologists, as data from structured questions is easily quantified, so it can be more scientifically analysed.

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The imposition problem

  • The key problems/concerns with questionnaires are the imposition problem and validity.
  • The imposition problem refers to the risk that the researcher might impose their own views and framework on the people being questioned.
  • The researcher has already decided what the important questions are as part of their research preparation, so only a limited number and type of questions are available.
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Validity

  • Problems of validity arise because people may not answer the questions honestly.
  • They may give the answer that they think the research expects or answers that are seen as socially acceptable.
  • They might also misinterpret the wording of questions and give a different response to the one that is intended.
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Types of questionnaire

  • There are a number of different types of questionnaires, all with different strengths and weaknesses.
  • They include:
    • Structured questionnaires.
    • Open-ended questionnaires.
    • Postal, online and online self-completion questionnaires.

Jump to other topics

1Theory & Methods

2Education with Methods in Context

3Option 1: Culture & Identity

4Option 1: Families & Households

5Option 1: Health

6Option 1: Work, Poverty & Welfare

7Option 2: Beliefs in Society

8Option 2: Global Development

9Option 2: The Media

10Crime & Deviance

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