After careful thought and consideration I decided these will be the 4 tools I will use within my research:
1. Questionnaires/surveys
2. Interviews
3. Reviewing and analysing documents
4. Participant Observer
Over the next couple of blogs I will be reviewing these tools, working out what are the positive and negative implications when using them in my inquiry.
Questionnaires
I used this as my pilot tool for task A and I explained my reasonings for using this tool. I did a lot of researching online for existing questionnaires to see the format and types of questions asked. I found a few examples of questionnaires online, but thought this one was particularly effective at first glance;
Please answer the survey sincerely.
Mark the Answer in RED please.
Questionnaire
1. Gender: Female \Male
Age: ____.
2. Do you dance? (Professionally or as a sport/ a hobby)
• Yes.
• No.
• Used to dance.
• I would like to learn how to dance.
3. Which style of dancing is more appealing to you?
• Modern types of dancing because of the cool extreme moves and the unlimited possibilities of movement.
• Classic types of dancing because of the clean technic and the glorious costumes.
• I like both styles same way.
• I like the movement of one style and the costumes of another.
4. Do you think that the stereotype of "dancing is for girls" still exists?
• Yes.
• No.
• Only for the modern styles of dancing such as Hip Hop and Jazz.
• Only for the classic styles of dancing such as Ballroom dancing and Ballet.
5. Do you believe that a dance can express and show real feelings or thoughts?
• Yes.
• No.
• Only for the modern styles of dancing.
• Only for the classic styles of dancing.
6. Are you uncomfortable with some styles of dancing?
• Yes. I'm not comfortable with the "extreme" forms of this art.
• Yes. With too brutal modern styles, for example: brutal Hip hop.
• Yes. With too close \ old and “mechanic” classic style.
• No. I’m fine with all the different styles of this art.
7. Which one from the following describes best your perception of dancing?
• A hobby.
• An art.
• A profession.
• A sport.
8. Do you think some styles will become irrelevant or even will disappear from the world?
• No this art, with its’ all different styles, is internal.
• Yes this art will disappear completely.
• Yes the classic ones, they are too limiting and old-fashioned.
• Yes the modern ones, they are too rebellious and “rough”.
9. Do you see dancing as a sport?
• No.
• Yes.
• Yes, only the modern styles of dancing.
• Yes, only the classic styles of dancing.
10. What in your opinion will happen to dancing as a sport? Please explain___________________________________.
What in your opinion will happen to dancing as an art? Please
explain___________________________________.
Taken from- http://www.dance-forums.com/threads/survey-about-dancing.40569/
Although the subject is not really relatable to my inquiry, I think the format and wording of the questions are good at getting the needed information. Although they are closed questions, I like the way they have provided more answers than simply 'yes' or 'no'. This allows room for a wider range of opinions and information. I will take the format and style of questionnaire to possibly use for my own research. To develop on these questions I will leave a comment box at a the bottom of each one to allow people to elaborate on an answer should they wish. That way I have a chance at getting even more from the questionnaire, extracting as much information as I possibly can. This is a tool I will definately choose for my research work as I feel it is quite a quick and direct way of finding things out from fellow professionals, without necessarily having to find the time to sit them down and fully interview them.
However after looking at the comments for this survey I saw many criticisms about the questionnaire that I fully understand and have take on board for when conducting my own.
Comments such as;
I don't understand... "modern" and "classical"? Ballroom is sort of both, and neither. Are you sure
you're looking for ballroom dancers to complete your survey? (Dbk jan 18th 2012)
Dance is a broad subject and I suspect that your poll reflects the particular specialized part of dance that you are involved in, but which many/most of us are not. I suspect that you are more involved with performance dance, which I understand can be separated into jazz ("modern") and ballet
("classical") -- please pardon my ignorance here -- , whereas I and many here are more involved in social partner dancing ... even though those involved in ballroom also tend to be involved in ballroom competition dancing (DWise1 jan 19th 2012)
Looking at these comments has made me understand the importance of specifics, making sure each question is clear and to the point, so it can be understood and therefore answered easily and correctly. Being vague leaves people confused and as a result uninterested so will not be willing to answer in full. My questions are specific to a certain calibre of performers so, they will already be on the same wavelength which is good, but I still need to check each question is specific to the profession and has no room for people to be confused.
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