Data Collection Tools and Procedures

            When conducting survey research, there are various methods that can be utilized to administer the surveys to the research participants. The study in chapter 5 was conducted to investigate the relationship between delinquent peers and heavy metal preference through survey research (Pope, Lovell, & Brandl, 2001). Surveys can either be administered through self-reported questionnaires or interviews. The method that was used to administer the survey in this study was in-person interviews. Interview was the best approach to use given its advantages. Interviews allow for higher response rates, an opportunity to observe the responses, it is less burdensome to the respondents, and gives the researcher control over the proceedings (Vito, Kunselman, & Tewksbury, 2014).

Interview questions can either be open-ended or close-ended. Open ended questions are those types of questions that allows the respondents to provide free-form answers while close-ended questions are bounded questions that can be answered with either yes of no, or have a limited set of limited answers. The close-ended questions included “does your mother or further know who you are with when you are away from home?”, “does your mother/father trust you?”, and “do you share your thought or feelings with your mother or father?”. The open-ended questions included “how important is it to you (a) to do well in school, (b) to have high grades, and (c) to complete high school?”, “who is your favorite musical groups?”

Validity is simply an indication of the soundness of a particular research or the instruments used within the research. There are different types of validities. The first type of validity that the survey instrument is likely to have is face validity. The survey instrument appears to be a good instrument and representative of the study aims. The survey instrument also seems to have high construct validity since it measures up to its claims by measuring the particular constructs being assessed and not some other closely-related variables. However, the survey instrument is not likely to have content validity as it does not cover the breath of the content areas being assessed despite containing appropriate items and being in an appropriate format.

The questions that were used to measure parental attachment and control included “does your mother or further know who you are with when you are away from home?”, “does your mother/father trust you?”, and “do you share your thought or feelings with your mother or father?” The questions were effective as the first one evaluated issues of parental control while the last two touched base on parental attachment. However, the questions did not cover the entirety of parental control and attachment and so additional and more relevant questions are needed. Additional questions would include “can you count on your parents to provide emotional support?”, “do your parents encourage you to make your own decisions or try to control your life?” and “Are your parents always available whenever you need their guidance and advice?”

My opinion on the appropriateness of the survey instrument is that it was an appropriate questionnaire for exploring the relationship between heavy metal music preference and delinquency. However, the instrument was not very comprehensive as there are some content areas that were not adequately covered. Therefore, additional questions are needed to make the survey instrument comprehensive in properly exploring the topic and all its facets and content areas.

References

Pope, C. E., Lovell, R. D., & Brandl, S. G. (2001). Voices from the field: Readings in criminal justice research. Australia: Wadsworth.

Vito, G. F., Kunselman, J. C., & Tewksbury, R. A. (2014). Introduction to criminal justice research methods: An applied approach. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C Thomas