WJEC Eduqas GCSE Sociology Revision Guide

103 Questionnaires Strengths of questionnaires are: They are a quick and cheap method of collecting lots of data. The use of consistent questions means that responses can be compared easily. This increases reliability and confidence that any differences between different groups are real. Detailed explanation of the questions means that a different researcher can repeat research years later or in a different place allowing real comparisons. The speed and low cost of questionnaires will allow a representative sample of a large population like that of the UK to be gathered. This increases representativeness as long as care is taken over sampling. Weaknesses of questionnaires are: It is easy for people to give false answers. This causes the research to have lower validity. The researcher designing the questions may impose their own meanings onto the topic they are studying. Their questions will be influenced by their own views and they may not think of the right questions or answers, especially if responses are multiple choice. Opened-ended questions may be ignored in the write up of the research. In the desire to create statistics the researcher may ignore them as they are harder to classify. Even if they do include them they may simplify them into categories. This will lower validity. Strengths of postal questionnaires are: They allow the researcher to select who they are sending the questionnaires to and which areas. Respondents are not under pressure and can respond when they have time to respond. Repeat mailings can be used to make sure everyone replies. Weaknesses of postal questionnaires are: Expense. The cost of stamps has become much greater. The researcher will also have to pay for return postage. Low response rate. People are very busy nowadays and are unlikely to take the time to complete the questionnaire and may forget to post it. Only a certain kind of person bothers to complete a questionnaire. This may include people who have strong opinions about the topic of the questionnaire. This may affect the representativeness of the sample. T h i n k l ink When asked to choose a research method and justify your choice, it may be useful to consider other methods and explain why the method chosen is more appropriate than others. The Great British Class Survey was published in 2013. 160,000 people completed the large- scale survey which can be said to have high reliability. Results showed that more than 50 per cent of the population were middle class at the turn of the century. They calculated this by looking at how many people were working in non-manual occupations. However, some non-manual workers may still see themselves as working class for other reasons than their job, which would make the study lose validity. Online surveys have made questionnaires even quicker and cheaper. What problems does this not solve? Questions which require evaluation will make this clear in the action word of the question. This may be ‘Discuss’or ‘Do you agree?’. Make sure that you present both sides of the debate. Knowledge check 1. Describe what is meant by ‘questionnaire’. (2 marks) 2. Identify two types of questionnaire. (2 marks) 3. Discuss the usefulness of questionnaires. (12 marks)