Research Methods Links
After you decide what methods you want to use to collect the data for your
STA, you will want to use these sites to help you think through the issues assocaited
with each method. I have tried to choose sites that have direct application
to the field of computing, but most are generic methods descriptions.
Questionnaire Construction
- How to construct
questions on a questionnaire. The same principles work for interview questions.
- The American Statistical Association's guide to survey
design.
- The American Association for Public Opinion Research guide to best
practices in survey research.
- An extensive paper
on survey design with sections on planning, selection, question construction,
analysis, and interpretation.
Interview Methods
- An overview of using semi-structured
interviews in requirements analysis. Many good suggestions for kinds of
questions that identify objects, relationships, processes, etc. .
- A good basic guide
to in-depth semi-structured interviews.
- A quick-and-dirty
recipie style guide to constructing an interview (also has a section on questionnaires).
- An excellent outline of sociological
wisdom in conducting qualitative interviews.
- The ten
commandments of interviewing. Good general advce.
Focus Groups
Observational Methods
Disclaimer