Survey Mode: “Data”, Article Critique Example

Article: Botchkovar et al.:  Survey mode: “Data” (pp. 138-139)

The survey that was used within this study was a random selective in-person interview. The procedure was done by randomly selecting different street routes in each city, and randomly selected different apartments and/or houses to construct an interview.  The adult member, at least 18 years of age, with the most recent birthday was interviewed.  In addition, the interviewee was given a questionnaire to complete, which contained questions about their misbehavior.  These questionnaires were filled out in private and away from the interviewer, and sealed in envelopes that didn’t enclose his or her name.

• There are many advantages of this random selective in-person interview method. For example, this method is moderately inexpensive and they do not cost a significant amount of finance to complete. Also, since the interview was partially done in-person, it may be an advantage that the interviewer can observe and distinguish the expressions and characteristics surrounding him or her, and especially on the interviewee him/herself.  Another advantage is that the interviewee had the chance to talk to the interviewer one on one to clarify each question asked, especially if it may have been misunderstood.  This gives the interviewee a chance to have clarification on all questions and understand them better.
• However, there are some disadvantages about the type of method chosen. For instance, random streets and random apartments selected the study. Therefore, the area that was chosen in each study may have been a negative area to choose and could result in extremely high or low results.  Also, random selective methods are always unreliable because some individuals may not be home at the present time, or they could be busy.  Therefore, the random selections method may have took longer in time than a different survey method, since individuals could have turned down the interviewers quite often.  In addition, since the interviewer doesn’t know the background of the people being interviewed, there isn’t a way of knowing if they are telling the truth or not.

Of the independent variables used throughout this study, I don’t think the independent variables used to measure the concept of the study were effective or relevant to the study. The study concept is to understand “objective strain, subjective strain, anger and criminal probability,” therefore the importance of an individual failing to complete a personally value goal seems irrelevant.  Individuals fail to complete goals for endless reasons; therefore I don’t believe the independent variables added helpful information to the study concept.  The independent variables don’t make the study concept clear, and seems like personal information that may not improve the study’s result.  Also, the independent variables conveyed prestige bias ideas that may make a individual feel uncomfortable.  For example, a teen mother may have not finished her valued goals because she was blessed with a child and had to put her child before her goals.  Therefore, the independent variable may express a negative concept.

Overall, I think the dependent variables are applicable and beneficial to the study concept for numerous reasons. The dependent variables coincide with the actual study concept.  For example, the study is based upon the strain of an individual, therefore anger is an extremely reliable dependent variable that makes the concept clear and apparent, especially for the final results.