RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

There are many means of conducting research. These include:

 Case Studies
 Participant & Non-Participant Observation
 Questionnaires
 Interviews

For the purpose of the SBA, you should focus on Questionnaires and Interviews.

QUESTIONNAIRES:
A questionnaire consists of written questions. There are many types of questionnaires; these
include postal, email, internet or blog, telephone or direct questionnaires. For the purpose of my
SBA, I will be using direct questionnaires where I will deliver the questionnaires in person to the
individuals to complete. In each questionnaire, there are open-ended (where the participants
could write their view) and closed-ended questions (where there are fixed choices to choose
from). My questionnaire will use a mixture of both because both types of questions have
advantages and disadvantages.

The advantages of questionnaires:

1. Large amounts of data can be collected quickly.
2. There is little personal involvement by researchers.
3. Access to subjects is easy.
4. It is easy to quantify, calculate or compute the results.
5. Repeating the questionnaire is easy (making the results more reliable).
6. A large sample could be used increasing representativeness and the ability to make
generalizations.
7. Statistical patterns can be used to develop new theories or to test existing ones.
8. They are useful to collect straightforward, descriptive data.
9. Data could be collected confidentially.

The disadvantages of questionnaires:

1. People may interpret questions differently thus reducing validity (true indication or view
of the population).
2. Validity of the data may be undermined by deliberate lying, faulty memory or
respondents not fully understanding the questions.
3. Researchers do not get to know their respondents making it difficult to understand their
social world and what may influence them to respond in the way that they do.
4. Questions are standardized and people cannot really voice their true opinion.
5. Some people may not be willing to answer the questions or questionnaire.
INTERVIEW:
An interview is a one-on-one discussion between the interviewer and the person or persons being
interviewed. There are many types of interviews:
 Structured – a list of questions are created and interviewers stick by those questions and
do not go off topic.
 Unstructured – there is no preset list of questions and the interview is conducted more
like a conversation.
 Group – occurs when there is more than one person participating in the interview. It is
used to make the people more comfortable and also to stimulate conversation and to
bounce ideas off each other.

The advantages of interviews:

1. Validity is increased – the interviewer could get the opportunity to explore and
understand the background of the person being interviewed.
2. Interviewees could take time to critically reflect on the questions being asked.
3. Interviews are useful to expand on the questionnaire to get more in-depth feelings and
insight of some of the participants and they could express what they feel in speech rather
than writing.
4. Interviewees could also get the interviewer to explain what they mean and to clarify any
issues that they are unsure about.
5. Interviews may also be used for individuals who would not return questionnaires as some
people prefer face-to-face interaction.
6. They are more practical and flexible – interviewers and interviewees could meet
whenever it is convenient for them.

The disadvantages of interviews:

1. Reliability is decreased – it is difficult to replicate or duplicate the interview because
opinions change and individuals may forget what they said.
2. It is difficult and expensive to conduct large-scale interviews.
3. Individual interviews are also expensive and time-consuming.
4. Not all individuals may want to be taped, therefore it may be difficult for the interviewer
to recall each and every word that was said; therefore, they may miss out key information
as jottings may not be enough.
5. Interviewer bias – persons being interviewed may be influenced by the background, race,
gender, age, or class of the interviewer. For example, a teacher may respond differently if
a student is interviewing him rather than another teacher or another adult.
6. Training and practice may be required.
7. Confidentiality issues may arise as people may not want to express personal views or let
the interviewer find out their personal business.

Source: Holborn, Martin & Peter Langley. 2002. Haralambos and Holborn: Sociology:
Themes and Perspectives – Student Handbook. London: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.