6b- Merits and Limits of Tools

Interviews Merits

• False information won't be recorded because you are the one asking the questions and collecting the answers
• I am in control of the questions as the interviewer, I can make them open or closed
• I am able to explain any questions the interviewee may have at the time there and then.
• I can look at body language and behaviour, even have the ability to record with the correct permissions
• I can choose who I interview and control the process of the choosing of people
• I can choose to interview any of the methods mentioned in reader 6.
• able to receive qualitative responses
• The interview is conducted in a private and confidential place unknown to others 

Interviews Limits

• It's not an anonymous process because I am there and I know who it is, they may feel shame or embarrassment.
• Time and work schedules make interviews hard to arrange and also limited time to do them in when they are so time consuming
• I- as the interviewer may misunderstand the participants answer, leading to false results
• participants may lie
• I have to consider not to be bias in any questions I ask

Focus Group Merits

• People can participate with each other and not just the person conducting the questions
• A focus group allows for more questions to be developed 
• again allows for a qualitative approach of research

Focus Group Limits

• A group of people may make others shy and feel exposed and also in turn a group of people may be too confident and cause tension and make others feel unhappy- causing arguments and producing no honest results
• People may speak over one another so if recording the process data is difficult to collect
• The process is incredibly time consuming
• Hard to get everyone together when we all work in the same department 
• It isn't anonymous because everyone is in the room together

Surveys Merits

• produces quantitative data and statistics however allows for qualitative responses aswell
• completely anonymous so people may be more honest
• easy for the participant via the use of Web 2.0 - survey monkey and links on facebook etc
• collaborating data is easy if you use correct platforms to do so
• can collect data of a larger scale so more accuracy and averages

Survey Limits

• participants may leave the qualitative chances to respond blank
• not enough participants may even do it
• quantitative research isn't always the best for small scale enquiries
• the participants may not understand why a question is being asked and I am not there to answer any questions they have
• participants may lie
• behaviour can't be recorded or noticed

Documents Merits

• Able to expand knowledge and not repeat things that have already been studied/ researched
• literature and documents are easy to get hold of
• a good source of evidence to back up your own

Documents Limits

• there may be few resources in your choice of inquiry line
• depends on who the author is and what their conceptions and thoughts were to make the document bias
• incredibly time consuming because you need to find documents of huge significance

I think when it comes to my inquiry that interviews and surveys will become the most beneficial, however the use of documents is something I definitely need to consider as there is more chance for accuracy and evidence!

I'd love to know what all your thoughts and opinions are on the methods and whether I've missed any limits or merits out!