Self-report study

Research asking people to disclose offences they have committed, including offences not known to the police.

A survey asking people to disclose offences they have committed, usually anonymously.

Sociologists use three main sources: police-recorded crime, victim surveys and self-report studies. Each reveals something different. Police records show offences known to and recorded by the police; victim surveys ask about experiences of crime; self-report studies ask people about their own offending.

Research asking participants about their own behaviour; in crime research, it asks about offences they have committed during a stated period.

For methods questions, connect the strength or limitation to crime research: fear of admitting an offence, for example, can reduce the validity of a self-report study.

Research that asks people about offences they themselves have committed, including offences not detected by the police.

A self-report study might ask whether someone stole a bicycle during that period. These questions investigate the same type of offence from different positions.

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AQA GCSE Sociology · 8192

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Eduqas GCSE Sociology · C200