Thesis Structure and
Interviews and Surveys
Thesis Structure
Thesis Structure
Chapter 1.
Introduction
Thesis Structure
Chapter 1.
Introduction
Chapter 2.
Literature Review
Thesis Structure
Chapter 1.
Introduction
Chapter 2.
Literature Review
Chapter 3.
Design
Thesis Structure
Chapter 1.
Introduction
Chapter 2.
Literature Review
Chapter 3.
Design
Chapter 4.
Development
Thesis Structure
Chapter 1.
Introduction
Chapter 2.
Literature Review
Chapter 5.
Evaluation
Chapter 3.
Design
Chapter 4.
Development
Thesis Structure
Chapter 1.
Introduction
Chapter 6.
Conclusion and
Future Work
Chapter 2.
Literature Review
Chapter 5.
Evaluation
Chapter 3.
Design
Chapter 4.
Development
Thesis Structure
Chapter 1.
Introduction
Chapter 6.
Conclusion and
Future Work
Chapter 2.
Literature Review
Chapter 5.
Evaluation
Chapter 3.
Design
Chapter 4.
Development
Interviews and Surveys
Interviews
Interviews

Unstructured

Semi-structured

Structured
Interviews

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
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Establish a rapport
Treat interviewees with respect
Think about your appearance
Think about body language
Maintain firm eye contact
Don’t Invade their space
Interviews

How are you going to record



Tape recorder
Pen and paper - veratim
Video recorder
How are you going to analyse

Colour Coding

“Gist Analysis” <> “Verbatim Analysis”
Questionnaires
Questionnaire


Identify which organisation you work
for, or are studying at.
Check your grammar, twice (Rule of
Thumb – two proofreads get rids of
95% of errors).
Questionnaires



Open-ended
Close-ended
Combination of both
Questionnaires

Open-ended
Close-ended
Questionnaires

Open-ended


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Slower to administer
Harder to record responses
Does not stifle response
Answerer can raise new issues
Answerer feels they can speak their mind
What does a blank answer mean ????
Questionnaires

Close-ended

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Faster to administer
Easier to record responses
Answerer can only give predefined answers
Answerer cannot raise new issues
Answerer feels constrained
More likely to answer all questions (box tick)
Questionnaires


Self-administered
Interviewer administered
Questionnaires
Questionnaires





Keep questions short and simple
Avoid questions with “not”
Avoid questions with bias
Avoid sensitive questions (ask indirectly)
Do not ask compound questions, just ask
one question at a time

e.g. "Do you know what services are available to
you and how to find out?"
Questionnaires

Likert scales



Poor, Weak, O.K., Good, Excellent
Very Low, Low, O.K., High, Very High
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Thank them

"Thank you for taking the time to
participate in this survey"
Incentives

Survey research suggests that there
is a chance that offering an incentive
may add bias to a survey

e.g. Singer, E., Bossarte, R., 2006, “Incentives for
Survey Participation: When Are They “Coercive”?,
American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Volume
31, Issue 5, Pages 411-418