Methods of Research

Interviews: Features and Considerations

Interviews are a common method of data collection involving a conversation between the interviewer and the interviewee.
Interviews can be structured, with preset questions, or unstructured, where conversation happens organically.
They provide deep insights, as they give an opportunity to explore nuances and probe for more information.
Possibility of interviewer bias impacting the responses is a major concern.
Interviewers should always use open-ended questions to avoid leading the respondent.

Questionnaires involve a set of written questions for respondents to answer.
They enable researcher to collect data from a large number of respondents quickly and cost-effectively.
Closed-ended questionnaires provide structured responses for easy comparison and analysis.
Open-ended questionnaires provide unique and detailed answers, but they are more difficult to analyse.
Question design should be clear and avoid leading or loaded questions, bias and confidentiality concerns.

#Observations: Features and Considerations

Observations involve researchers watching what people do in a natural setting.
They can be participant (researcher become part of group being observed) or non-participant (researcher remains detached observer).
Observations provide authentic, in-context data on actual behaviour rather than reported behaviour.
However, they are time-consuming and complex to record and interpret.
There is a risk of the observer effect, where people change their behaviour because they are being watched.

Case studies are an in-depth investigation of a single entity or event.
They often use multiple data collection methods like interviews, observations and document analysis, contributing to holistic understanding of complex issues.
They allow high level of detail and context-sensitive interpretation, but may have limited representativeness.
Generalisability of findings might be limited due to the specific circumstances of the case.

Experiments involve manipulation of variables in a controlled setting to observe outcomes.
They can provide concrete, specific, quantitative data and can show cause and effect.
However, they can be seen as artificial and may overlook the complexity of human and social variables.
Ethical concerns, particularly around informed consent and deception, can arise in experimental designs.

Document analysis includes studying existing documents such as letters, diaries, newspapers, official records, etc.
This method can provide historical and cultural context to the research.
However, availability, authenticity, and representation of documents can present challenges.
The researcher has to critically interpret and extract meaningful data from documents.