2. Questionnaire Construction

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About this Lecture

Lecture

In this lecture, we think about questionnaire construction, focusing in particular on: (i) differentiating closed and open questioning, the former being limited to pre-decided options chosen by the researcher, while the latter is open to any type and depth of response; (ii) the limitations of closed questioning, including that the given options might not cover what the respondent would otherwise choose; (iii) the limitations of open questioning, including the inevitable subjectivity of responses, resulting in difficulty with analyses; (iv) the types of analyses that can be used on open questionnaire responses; (v) the importance of recognising what you are looking to achieve with your study and results, to decide which form(s) of questioning are appropriate.

Course

In this course, Dr Ashok Jansari (Goldsmiths, University of London) explores points of consideration and control when designing and undertaking a scientific study. In the first lecture, we think about measurement levels by clearly defining nominal, ordinal, and interval data. In the second lecture, we think about how to construct a questionnaire, utilising open and closed questioning. In the third lecture, we think about variables by closely reviewing the role of independent, dependent, and extraneous variables within a study. Next, we think about experimental controls, going beyond just extraneous variables to think about randomisation and counterbalancing. In the fifth and final lecture, we think about demand characteristics and their impact, both as those which originate in the researcher as well as in the participant.

Lecturer

Dr Ashok Jansari is a senior lecturer in the Department of Psychology at Goldsmiths, University of London. Dr Jansari’s research interests include memory disorders, prosopagnosia, executive functions, and synaesthesia. Dr Jansari is most famous for his research into prosopagnosia, having made numerous TV appearances, including on BBC1’s The One Show, as well as hosting his own ‘Neuro Talk’ YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/c/DrAshokJansariNeuroTalk/featured

Some of Dr Jansari's recent publications include 'Acquired synaesthesia following 2C-B use' (2019), 'Using virtual reality to investigate multitasking ability in individuals with frontal lobe lesions' (2019), and 'Identification from CCTV: Assessing police super-recogniser ability to spot faces in a crown and susceptibility to change blindness' (2018).