About the lecture

In this lecture, we think about questionnaires and other methods commonly used in qualitative research, focusing in particular on: (i) how to construct questionnaires and the three key types of question they consist of – open questions, closed questions, and Likert scales; (ii) some problems associated with questionnaires, such as the limited amount of qualitative data they produce, their bias towards literate participants, and their typically low response rate; (iii) four other popular methods in qualitative research – visual methods, diary analysis, digital research, and secondary documentary research.

About the lecturer

Professor Liz Atkins is Professor of Vocational Education and Social Justice at the University of Derby. She has a broad expertise within the field of education, specialising particularly in vocational education and working with low-attaining young people, and she has also written widely on methodological issues within education research. Her publications include Education, Skills and Social Justice in a Polarising World (2022, co-author), Research Methods for Social Justice and Equity in Education (2019, co-author), and Qualitative Research in Education (2012, co-author).