Dissertation

JCP

I did the survey, but you aren't really going to get valid results asking leading questions as you are doing.

You need a 'not applicable' option on many of them as an absolute minimum.
eg Q18 "My partner supports the work I do" has a yes/no answer.
The truth is we simply do not discuss work because he doesn't have the security clearance for my job, and I don't have the clearance for his.
Similarly for Q17 (oddly coming after Q18) - my partner knows neither the role I'm performing, the project I'm working on, not my client so he is simply in no position to offer an informed opinion

In several cases I went for the middle option purely because it was the least wrong - which of course does not mean that it represents my opinion.

eloiseh

Thank you all

keithdc

Can you confirm that you have had university ethics approval?

agrinnall

Reported - I suggest you familiarise yourself with the forum rules and post your survey in the correct place.

Person_one

How are you going to get demographic information on your participants? Does the survey site prevent repeat visits?

Regardless of the forum rules, this isn't a great way to go about recruitment for a study. Ask your supervisor for some advice.

Good luck, I'm supposed to be doing mine too.

noelphobic

JCP wrote: »

I did the survey, but you aren't really going to get valid results asking leading questions as you are doing.

You need a 'not applicable' option on many of them as an absolute minimum.
eg Q18 "My partner supports the work I do" has a yes/no answer.
The truth is we simply do not discuss work because he doesn't have the security clearance for my job, and I don't have the clearance for his.
Similarly for Q17 (oddly coming after Q18) - my partner knows neither the role I'm performing, the project I'm working on, not my client so he is simply in no position to offer an informed opinion

In several cases I went for the middle option purely because it was the least wrong - which of course does not mean that it represents my opinion.

If you're doing quantitative rather than qualitative research then it's difficult or impossible to not ask leading questions.

noelphobic

keithdc wrote: »

Can you confirm that you have had university ethics approval?

I've recently completed a degree and didn't need 'university ethics approval' for the surveys I did.

Paully232000

I would gladly help with a survey for a dissertation, but I would have a word with your supervisor about this survey, as for one i know nothing about the background to the survey, which you should really tell people before you start.

At the very least any research that I have ever done (and I have carried out quite a lot with working as an academic researcher and as part of degrees I have done), has had a participant information sheet as the first bit of information giving background to the study before starting the questions.

Paully232000

noelphobic wrote: »

If you're doing quantitative rather than qualitative research then it's difficult or impossible to not ask leading questions.

In a poorly designed study then i would agree.
If you have thought through your questions, had them checked by a second person/committee, and piloted the study then not impossible.

keithdc

Looks the link has gone, as has the original poster.

noelphobic wrote: »

I've recently completed a degree and didn't need 'university ethics approval' for the surveys I did.

Most (if not all) universities require research involving people to gain an ethical approval. At many universities, this is a very simple process that simply consists of supervisor sign-off for non-material issues. Best practice is to confirm that you have received appropriate approvals to participants.

I am concerned by this research for a variety of reasons:
- firstly, i am not convinced it will answer any research question due to the poorly worded questions. It has obviously not been piloted in any meaningful way. This in itself makes it unethical as people contribute their time for no benefit,
- secondly, i agree that sometimes it is reasonable for scientific reasons to mask the purpose of research. However, this creates a material ethical issue that should be subject to ethical review. I think it should also be mentioned to participants why they are not being told, and include a final page that does tell them why.
- thirdly, there is no mention at all about what the OP plans to do with data.

The original survey was, from memory, hosted on Plymouth University server. Assuming the OP has used their real name, how many Eloise H's attend plymouth??