Assignment in Action
What is one reason a researcher might choose in-depth interviews over ethnographic observation when studying personal experiences?
In-depth interviews allow participants to reflect on and explain their thoughts, emotions, and decision processes in their own words—something observation alone can’t capture.
What should one of the first questions of an in-depth interview sound like?
Open-ended and inviting, like “Can you tell me a little bit about how you got into your field?”
A researcher only interviews students from honors classes to understand school climate. What’s the potential issue?
It may introduce sampling bias—these students may not represent the whole school.
If a study promises to protect people’s data but still collects names and emails, what is being protected?
Confidentiality
What type of data do surveys often produce: open-ended or close-ended?
Answer: Close-ended—good for quantifying patterns.
What is an example of a sampling strategy that builds off one participant leading to others?
Snowball sampling
True or False: A good in-depth interview feels like a structured question-and-answer session.
False
Why is random assignment important in experiments?
It improves internal validity by reducing the risk of confounding. - ensure that the groups are similar
If a researcher selects every 10th person on a list to participate, what sampling method are they using?
Systematic sampling
What’s the issue with a question like: “How much do you agree that group work is exhausting and unhelpful?”
It’s leading and biased, with negative framing.
What kind of question might best help a researcher learn about how work stress affects relationships with others?
“Can you walk me through a typical workday and what happens after you get home?”
What’s wrong with the question: “Don’t you agree smoking is obviously dangerous?”
It’s a leading question—it pushes the respondent toward a certain answer.
What is the issue with the survey question: “Why would you not support the change?”
Use of negatives
Why is it important to get consent before asking personal questions in an interview?
To protect autonomy and ensure ethical standards are met.
How can using multiple survey questions on a single topic improve a study?
It increases reliability and helps ensure the concept is fully captured.
What is a good follow-up probe to deepen someone’s memory recall during an interview?
“Can you tell me more about how you felt in that moment?” or “What happened next?”
At what point in an interview are respondents most likely to open up in unexpected ways?
Later in the interview, once trust and rapport have built.
If your interview questions sound too academic, how might that affect your respondent's answers?
It may lower response accuracy or create social desirability bias
What ethical principle supports making sure participants know they can stop at any time?
voluntary participation.
What is the benefit of using a Likert scale (e.g., strongly agree to strongly disagree)?
It captures nuanced attitudes rather than just yes/no answers.
How can one interview help generate knowledge that applies more broadly to a population?
If the story reflects a pattern or theme common in the larger group or aligns with prior research, it may suggest generalizability.
What is a better alternative to “Do you think discrimination exists here?” - during an in-depth interview
“Can you tell me about a time when you felt treated unfairly at work?”
In what situation would there be high internal validity and lower external validity?
In lab experiments where conditions are tightly controlled but not like real life.
Why should a research team translate their consent forms when working in multilingual communities?
To promote equitable access and uphold justice in research participation.
If a researcher wants equal numbers from different racial groups in a survey, what method should they use?
Quota sampling