Week 4 Assignment

Terms in Review (p.204, problems 1-4).

1. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of the survey to those of observation. Under which circumstances could you make a case for using observation?

Surveys allow for data collection through questions formatted to obtain measurable answers directly from participants. Observational studies collect data by “monitoring behavioral and nonbehavioral activities and conditions” (Cooper & Schindler, 2011, p. 189). By recording observations researchers collect the data they need to answer their questions. Advantages of the survey method include: the ability to reach a large population, there are multiple options to administer the survey with low expense, and questions can be standardized to ensure measurable and precise responses that can be statistically significant due to the number of participants that can partake. Disadvantages include: inflexibility of questions and the design of the study, “survey research…can seldom deal with ‘context’” (“Advantages and disadvantages,” n.d., para. 2) where as observational studies can.

The observational method allows for the study to be concealed from participants, often recording things about the participants that they may be unaware of or even unwilling to discuss in other study methods. Observational studies also allow for unanticipated outcomes and flexibility. Unfortunately observational studies can also be expensive and time consuming (Collins & Schindler, 2011). The data collected through observation is open to bias or distortions by the observer. In addition the investigator has little control over the study/situation. If a researcher was trying to identify characteristics about a setting, social environment, or activities that required participants to be natural an observational study would be better for collecting data. It would allow the investigators to understand the context of reactions, situations, or environments.

2. What ethical risks...