Using Research Instruments : a Guide for Researchers

190 Pages·2003·3.753 MB·English

by  David Wilkinson, Peter Birmingham

Using Research Instruments
Clear, accessible and practical, Using Research Instruments: A
Guide for Researchers introduces the first-time researcher to the
various instruments used in social research. It assesses the relative
merits of a broad range of research instruments – from the well-
established to the innovative – enabling readers to decide which are
particularly well suited to their own research.
The book covers:
(cid:1) Questionnaires
(cid:1) Interviews
(cid:1) Content analysis
(cid:1) Focus groups
(cid:1) Observation
(cid:1) Researching the things people say and do
This book is particularly suitable for work-based and undergraduate
researchers in education, social policy and social work, nursing and
business administration. It draws numerous examples from actual
research projects, which readers can adapt for their own purposes.
Written in a fresh and jargon-free style, the book assumes no prior
knowledge and is firmly rooted in the authors’ own extensive
research experience.

Using Research Instruments is the ideal companion volume
to The Researcher’s Toolkit. Together they offer a superb practical
introduction to conducting a social research project.
David Wilkinson is a Research Fellow within the Work-Based
Learning Unit at the University of Leeds. He is the editor of The
Researcher’s Toolkit: The Complete Guide to Practitioner Research,
also published by RoutledgeFalmer. David teaches research pro-
grammes across a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses
and develops research-based modules for work-based learners.
Peter Birminghamis a Research Officer at the University of Oxford
Department of Educational Studies, and a contributor to The
Researcher’s Toolkit. Peter has substantial teaching experience,
providing sessions for postgraduate learners on qualitative research
methods.

Using
Research
Instruments
(cid:1) A Guide for Researchers

David Wilkinson
and Peter Birmingham
First published 2003 All rights reserved. No part of
by RoutledgeFalmer this book may be reprinted or
11 New Fetter Lane, London reproduced or utilised in any
EC4P 4EE form or by any electronic,
mechanical, or other means,
Simultaneously published in the now known or hereafter invent-
USA and Canada ed, including photocopying and
by RoutledgeFalmer recording, or in any information
29 West 35th Street, New York, storage or retrieval system,
NY 10001 without permission in writing
from the publishers.
This edition published in the
Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2003. British Library Cataloguing in
Publication Data
RoutledgeFalmer is an imprint A catalogue record for this book
of the Taylor & Francis Group is available from the British
Library
© 2003 David Wilkinson and
Peter Birmingham Library of Congress Cataloging

in Publication Data
A catalog record for this book
has been requested.
ISBN 0-203-42299-6 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN 0-203-42473-5 (Adobe eReader Format)
ISBN 0–415–27279–3 (Print Edition)
DW: To my family, for keeping my feet on the ground and supporting
me through my many years as a student.
PB: To Emma, with love.

C
Contents
o
n
t
List of illustrations ix e
Acknowledgements xiii
n
Introduction
1
1 Questionnaires
7
t
Why use a questionnaire? Why might they be useful? 8
Types of questionnaire 10
Types of question 10 s
Design issues and other considerations when using
questionnaires 16
Coding responses and analysing questionnaire data 20
Limitations 33
Key textbooks focusing on developing and using
questionnaires 39
2 Interviews
43
Draft the interview 44
Pilot your questions 52
Select your sample interviewees 52
Conduct the interview 53
Analysing the interview data 63
Key textbooks focusing on developing and using
interviews 65
CONTENTS
3 Content analysis
67
What is content analysis? 67
Basic principles 69
Qualitative content analysis 76
Different approaches to content analysis 81
Key textbooks focusing on developing and using
content analysis 86
4 Focus groups
89
What are focus-group interviews? 90
What is distinctive about focus groups? 91
Might your research benefit from conducting focus
groups? 93
Conducting focus-group interviews 97
Disadvantages of focus groups 108
A practice exercise 110
Key texts on focus-group research 110
5 Observation
115
What is observation? 116
Why choose observation? 117
Should you consider using observation in your research? 118
Planning and conducting your observation 122
Conclu sion 141
Key texts on observational research 142
6 Researching the things people say
and do
143
The video-camera 144
Using video: a case study 150
Concluding comment: what’s the big deal about
data-driven research? 166
Suggested reading 168
Bibliography 169
Index 173
viii
I
Illustrations
l
l
u
s
t
Figures
r
1.1 Researcher–participant control continuum 5
1.2 National Railway Museum question form 9
1.3 Hertfordshire insurance consultants questionnaire 14
a
1.4 Increasing response rates – pre-paid return address 18
1.5 Leeds City Council traffic survey 21
1.6 Questionnaire to parents before parenting programme 23
1.7 Questionnaire to parents after parenting programme 28 t
1.8 Use of open-ended elements in questionnaires 38
2.1 Interview transcript – provision of free school meals
i
project 46
2.2 Highly skilled technicians in higher education research
project 48 o
2.3 Mentoring scheme – mentor interview schedule 56
2.4 Mentoring scheme – learner interview schedule 58
2.5 Sample telephone survey 60
3.1 Establishing themes 70 n
3.2 Exploring the use of terms relating to ‘weapons’ (1) 71
3.3 Exploring the use of terms relating to ‘weapons’ (2) 72
3.4 Examining the management of health services 79
3.5 Content analysis of the social sciences 82 s
3.6 ‘Health’ issues (1) 83
3.7 ‘Health’ issues (2) 84
3.8 ‘Health’ issues (3) 84
3.9 ‘Health’ issues (4) 85
3.10 ‘Health’ issues (5) 85
ix