Search results
Results From The WOW.Com Content Network
A questionnaire is a research instrument that consists of a set of questions (or other types of prompts) for the purpose of gathering information from respondents through survey or statistical study. A research questionnaire is typically a mix of close-ended questions and open-ended questions.
By asking a sample of potential-respondents about their interpretation of the questions and use of the questionnaire, a researcher can; carrying out a small pretest of the questionnaire, using a small subset of target respondents. Results can inform a researcher of errors such as missing questions, or logical and procedural errors.
Survey methodology is "the study of survey methods". [1] As a field of applied statistics concentrating on human-research surveys, survey methodology studies the sampling of individual units from a population and associated techniques of survey data collection, such as questionnaire construction and methods for improving the number and accuracy of responses to surveys.
Keep a personal journal in addition to fieldnotes: As the researcher is the main instrument, insight into one's own reactions to and initial interpretations of events can help the researcher identify any undesired personal biases that might have influenced the research. This is useful for reflexivity.
Informally, in attempting to estimate the causal effect of some variable X ("covariate" or "explanatory variable") on another Y ("dependent variable"), an instrument is a third variable Z which affects Y only through its effect on X. For example, suppose a researcher wishes to estimate the causal effect of smoking (X) on general health (Y). [5]
For example if an interview is used to investigate sixth grade students' attitudes toward smoking, the scores could be compared with a questionnaire of former sixth graders' attitudes toward smoking. Results of self-report studies have been confirmed by other methods.
Interactive maps, databases and real-time graphics from The Huffington Post
Researchers must recognize that they are inherently in a position of power when working with children, and this power dynamic impacts the interview process. [20] Further, it is important for researchers to resist falling into a "teacher mode", which signals participants that there is a right or wrong answer to the interview questions. [19]