The project 's aim was to find out how knowledgeable the public are in their understanding of Multiple Sclerosis with regards to the disease, symptoms, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment.
To find out how knowledgeable the public was a primary research method was produced to collect the raw data which was then analysed to determine how knowledgeable the public are. It was decided to use a self-completion questionnaire to carry out the research. Self-completion questionnaires are a type of primary research method that comes under the umbrella term ‘surveys’. This method was chosen for various reasons; one reason being that questionnaires are very practical and large amounts of information can be collected from a large number of people in a short period of time, due to being a student it was important not to choose a method that would be very time-consuming. For my research, it was important to collect both quantitative and qualitative data, which questionnaires collect; qualitative data is collected by open questions and qualitative data is collected by closed questions. In addition, questionnaires have very reliable results, they can be repeated and used again which increases the reliability of the research if the same findings are found. Due to questionnaires being easy to standardise, for example, all participants are asked the same question and in the same way, this also adds to the reliability of this research method (Sociology, n.d.). Questionnaires are also objective as they limit subjectivity. However, in general, questionnaires have relatively low validity as they do not explore questions in any detail or depth. Other primary research methods that could have been used include; interviews and observations. Despite unstructured interviews being very similar to questionnaires, this interview method was not chosen as they are very time-consuming and also, consistency and objectivity are hard to achieve due to the impact of the interviewer. Interviews tend to cause an interviewer effect, where people answer the question with what they think the interviewer wants to hear. The observation research method was totally out of the question as finding out the public 's knowledge on Multiple Sclerosis cannot be found out through observations. When the questionnaire template was completed, a sampling method had to be chosen, this was to decide how the questionnaires were going to be given …show more content…
It was decided to use a non-probability sampling method. Even though this method is less valid, due to not having access to a sampling frame the probability sampling method could not be done and therefore, the only option was a non-probability sampling method. The non-probability method used was quota sampling; this is where the population is divided into subgroups by their characteristics, traits or a focused fact. Following this quota sampling; the questionnaires were handed out to fifteen males and fifteen females. Quota sampling was used because it has a better representation of certain groups within a population, without over-representing them (Laerd Dissertation, n.d.). It also makes the comparison of the data analysis easy. Other non-probability methods include; convenience, consecutive, judgemental and snowball sampling; these methods were not used due to wanting equal male and female participants. Also, if the snowballing sample was used, there would be little control over the sampling method, this is due to relying on another person not included in the research to dispute the questionnaires (Explorable,
To find out how knowledgeable the public was a primary research method was produced to collect the raw data which was then analysed to determine how knowledgeable the public are. It was decided to use a self-completion questionnaire to carry out the research. Self-completion questionnaires are a type of primary research method that comes under the umbrella term ‘surveys’. This method was chosen for various reasons; one reason being that questionnaires are very practical and large amounts of information can be collected from a large number of people in a short period of time, due to being a student it was important not to choose a method that would be very time-consuming. For my research, it was important to collect both quantitative and qualitative data, which questionnaires collect; qualitative data is collected by open questions and qualitative data is collected by closed questions. In addition, questionnaires have very reliable results, they can be repeated and used again which increases the reliability of the research if the same findings are found. Due to questionnaires being easy to standardise, for example, all participants are asked the same question and in the same way, this also adds to the reliability of this research method (Sociology, n.d.). Questionnaires are also objective as they limit subjectivity. However, in general, questionnaires have relatively low validity as they do not explore questions in any detail or depth. Other primary research methods that could have been used include; interviews and observations. Despite unstructured interviews being very similar to questionnaires, this interview method was not chosen as they are very time-consuming and also, consistency and objectivity are hard to achieve due to the impact of the interviewer. Interviews tend to cause an interviewer effect, where people answer the question with what they think the interviewer wants to hear. The observation research method was totally out of the question as finding out the public 's knowledge on Multiple Sclerosis cannot be found out through observations. When the questionnaire template was completed, a sampling method had to be chosen, this was to decide how the questionnaires were going to be given …show more content…
It was decided to use a non-probability sampling method. Even though this method is less valid, due to not having access to a sampling frame the probability sampling method could not be done and therefore, the only option was a non-probability sampling method. The non-probability method used was quota sampling; this is where the population is divided into subgroups by their characteristics, traits or a focused fact. Following this quota sampling; the questionnaires were handed out to fifteen males and fifteen females. Quota sampling was used because it has a better representation of certain groups within a population, without over-representing them (Laerd Dissertation, n.d.). It also makes the comparison of the data analysis easy. Other non-probability methods include; convenience, consecutive, judgemental and snowball sampling; these methods were not used due to wanting equal male and female participants. Also, if the snowballing sample was used, there would be little control over the sampling method, this is due to relying on another person not included in the research to dispute the questionnaires (Explorable,