Immediate activity

Bad research!

Questionnaires Questionnaires are one the most commonly used research methods. There are many types of questionnaires which are used for different reasons. Learning Goals By the end of this topic you should: > Know the different types of questions used in questionnaires & the different methods of delivering them: > Evaluate the strengths & limitations of questionnaires. > Be able to apply your understanding of questionnaires to the study of education.

Questionnaires > Questionnaires are a list of Pre-Set questions These questions are usually: Closed/Pre-Coded Questions 1) Are you Religious? Yes q No q E.g. but could also include… Open-Ended Questions 1) Are you Religious? ………………………………….. As part of this topic you will expected to know why different researchers might choose to use these different types of questions…… > What type of sociological researcher might use Closed-Ended/ Pre-Coded Qs? > Why might Positivists prefer these types of questions? > What type of sociological researcher might use Open-Ended Qs? > Why might Interpretivists prefer these types of questions?

Different types of questionnaires Strengths and weaknesses of Postal Questionnaires: Strengths & Weaknesses of Closed-Ended/ Pre-Coded Questions:

Strengths & Weaknesses of Closed-Ended/ Pre-Coded Questions: Open-Ended Questions: Strengths: Weaknesses: Strengths: Weaknesses: > Ambiguous Questions > Standardised Data > In-Depth, Detailed information > Ambiguous Questions > Easy to Quantify > Long Drawn-out Answers (Time) > Restricts Responses > Answers are not restricted (no imposition problem) > Easy to Compare & Contrast > Imposition Problem (Researcher decides the responses) > Difficult to Quantify > High in Reliability > Quick to Complete > Difficult to make Comparisons > Lacks Validity > High in Reliability > Lacks Reliability

Postal Questionnaires: > These are questionnaires distributed through the post or by email to be completed by the respondent and then posted back to the researcher. Weaknesses: Strengths: > Large Scale (Representative & Generalisable) > Ambiguous Questions (Lack of an Interviewer) > Not everyone has a fixed address/ access to email > Cost could become an issue > Relatively Cheap > Respondents Reply at Own Leisure (Validity) > Potentially Low-Response Rate > Easier to answer personal questions > Not being taken Seriously > No Guarantee on who is filling them out > Rules Out Interviewer Bias

Administering Questionnaires There are many ways in which questionnaires can be administered: Self Administered/ Self Completion: > These are questionnaires that are distributed in person, completed on the spot, then collected in: Weaknesses: Strengths: > Ambiguous Questions (Lack of an Interviewer) > Quick & Easy to Complete (Not an Interview) > May be expensive (Might need to employ ‘Helpers’) > Time Consuming (Administered in Person) > Easier to answer personal questions > Lowers Researcher Effects > High Response Rate > Generally Small Scale (Lacks Unrepresentative & Ungeneralisable) > Respondents Can’t Reply at Own Leisure (Validity?)

Interviewer ‘Present’ – Structured Interviews: Questionnaires can be administered by an interviewer, either in person (Face-to-Face) or over the phone, with the respondent. This is essentially a STRUCTURED INTERVIEW. The Questionnaire becomes an INTERVEIW SCHEDULE. Weaknesses: Strengths: > High Response Rate > Restrictive Interview Schedule – Can’t Probe > Interviewer can explain ambiguous Qs ( Increases Validity) > Time Consuming > Phone Calls can be Expensive > Less problem with Interviewer Bias > Possibility that Respondents might feel Intimidated > Relatively Quick > Build a Rapport with the Respondent > Possibility of Interviewer Bias

Education: Methods in Context Paper 1 question 6

Learning goals KNOW (A01) The key things to look out for in the Methods in Context section of Paper 1 APPLY (A02) This to a model answer and attempt an answer of your own EVALUATE (A03) The strengths and methods of the research methods used in sociology

Paper 1 will consist of questions about this… The Specification Paper 1 will also have a question where you need to link education WITH research methods. This is called ‘Methods in Context. Paper 1 will consist of questions about this… Education Research Methods Look to the future: At A-Level, you will also be asked a 10 mark question about ‘Theory and Methods’ in this paper

MIC Structure: Areas of Study You will be asked about a particular area within education… Teachers Students Parents Classrooms Schools …and then about key issue within that area… Finally, you will be asked about how it may be researched with a given research method. You will be provided with one of these areas, with a partner consider how you might go about researching it (think about what methods might be best)

MIC Structure: Key Issues The issues could include: Educational achievement between social groups (class, gender and ethnicity) Impact of social policies League tables Types of schools And more!

MIC Structure: The Methods You will only be asked about the strengths and weakness of ONE method and how it links to the topic within education Questionnaires Self-completion, postal Experiments Laboratory, field and comparative Case studies, longitudinal research Secondary methods Documents, official statistics Observations Participant, non-participant, covert, overt Interviews Structured, unstructured, semi-structured, group interviews

Remember PET from RM? Time, access, cost, skills of the researcher Practical Time, access, cost, skills of the researcher Ethical Informed consent, free from deception, right to withdraw, protection from harm, privacy and confidentiality, ethics committees Theoretical Theoretical and sociological perspective, type of data used, bias, objectivity, validity and reliability

An Example Identify the context and method in this item. Extension: identify at least TWO  and  of using the method in this case

The Full Question

The Mark Scheme Skip this slide if you would like students to wait and see this!

The Perfect Plan (MIC and RM) Introduction Identify and define key concepts Don’t just rewrite the question! Practical links Ethical links Theoretical links Conclusion Would a DIFFERENT method be better for this issue? What about methodological pluralism (triangulation)? Task: read through the model answer (to a different question) and highlight key terms/concepts

Anonymity and detachment Questionnaires can be useful when researching sensitive issues like bullying, response rates may be higher and pupils may be more likely to reveal details of their experience of being bullied Interpretivist sociologists would reject this because the lack of contact with respondents may make rapport more difficult to establish Questionnaires are official looking documents and young people might equate them with school and teacher authority. As a result some pupils may refuse to cooperate

Top Tips Read the item carefully (read it a few times) Annotate it, and highlight key terms including the research method it refers to. Plan your essay! You are recommended to spend 30 minutes on the MIC question.

Task You now need to write the body of the essay: Practical aspects Ethical aspects Theoretical aspects Remember to PEEL your paragraphs! Include key theory and studies – where appropriate Ensure that you link the issue to the method sufficiently