Chapter 10 - Data Collection Methods II Flashcards
Questionnaire
a preformulated written set of questions to
which respondents record their answers, usually
within rather closely defined alternatives
5 general steps to produce
reliable and valid data
– Initial considerations
– Clarifying concepts
– Determining question types, format, wording, and sequence
– Pretesting the questionnaire
– Administering the questionnaire
Principles of Wording of the questions
– Match respondents’ level of understanding
– Define ambiguous or unfamiliar terms
– Avoid jargon
– Keep questions simple, specific, and concise/short
– Avoid complicated syntax
Type and form of questions
– Open-ended vs. closed questions
– Positively and negatively worded questions
* E.g., “I am attached to my organization,” and “I do not feel a sense of
belonging to my organization.”
Principles of Wording Beware of…
– Double-barreled questions
– Ambiguous questions
* Questions that lend themselves to different interpretations
– Recall-dependent questions
– Leading questions
* Signal how one should respond (e.g., “Wouldn’t you agree that…?”)
– Loaded (emotionally charged) questions
– Social desirability
* Wording elicits socially desirable (acceptable) responses
What Principles of Wording is this failing?
The discovery of the Higgs boson has
changed how I view the universe.
- Language and wording
– Use of jargon/unfamiliar terms
– Lack of specificity (“view the universe”)
What Principles of Wording is this failing?
Learning a new language will add another
string to my bow
- Language and wording
– Use of a potentially unfamiliar idiom
(expression)
What Principles of Wording is this failing?
How satisfied are you with your pay and your
working conditions?
- Double-barreled question
What Principles of Wording is this failing?
In light of the recent change in oil prices,
don’t you think that Canada should invest
more in renewable technologies?
- Leading question
What Principles of Wording is this failing?
To what extent do you think that workforce
diversity could harm an organization?
- Social desirability
- Leading question
Issues to consider Principles of Measurement
- Categorization and coding of data (Chs. 15 & 17)
- Scales and scaling (Ch. 13)
– Nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio scales
– Response options should be mutually exclusive and
collectively exhaustive - Reliability and validity (Ch. 13)
Principles of Measurement Issue
Unbalanced response options
Principles of Measurement Issue
Your age
A. Under 25
B. 25 to 50
C. 50 to 75
D. Over 75
Response options are not mutually exclusive
Principles of Measurement Issue
Your gender
A. Male
B. Female
Response options are not collectively exhaustive
General Appearance and Sequencing
Questionnaire sections and formatting
– Professional appearance and copy-editing
– Good introduction (see example on p. 150)
* May include consent information (separate letter?)
– Organized sections and clear instructions
– (Some) open-ended question(s) at the end
– Questionnaire conclusion (see p. 153)
* Courteous note thanking respondents
General Appearance and Sequencing
Sequencing of questions (p. 153)
– Funnel approach
* From general to more specific; easy to answer to more difficult
– May sequence questions randomly to reduce item context
effects/bias
* BUT: questions are usually ordered by topic to avoid confusion
when categorizing, coding, and analyzing responses
General Appearance and Sequencing
Classification data/personal information/demographics
– E.g., age, gender, education (maybe marital status, income)
* Important for sample description and statistical control
– Should attempt to preserve participant anonymity
– Typically appear at the end of the questionnaire
Example Question Issue
The present study explores the relationship between
active engagement in physical activities and
psychological well-being. Please answer the questions
below as accurately as possible.
What is your annual personal income (gross)?
Please round to the nearest thousandth.
$____________
- Sensitive personal data
– Relevance to the study?
Questionnaire
A preformulated written set of questions to which the respondent
records the answers, usually within rather closely delineated
alternatives.
Open‐ended questions
Questions that the respondent can answer in a free‐flowing
format without restricting the range of choices to a set of specific
alternatives suggested by the researcher.
Closed questions
Questions with a clearly delineated set of alternatives that confine
the respondents’ choice to one of them.
Double‐barreled question
Refers to the improper framing of a question that should be
posed as two or more separate questions, so that the respondent
can give clear and unambiguous answers.
Ambiguous questions
Questions that are not clearly worded and are likely to be
interpreted by respondents in different ways.
Leading questions
Questions phrased in such a manner as to lead the respondent to
give the answers that the researcher would like to obtain.
Loaded questions
Questions that elicit highly biased emotional responses from
subjects.
Social desirability
The respondents’ need to give socially or culturally acceptable
responses to the questions posed by the researcher even if they
are not true.
Classification data (Questions)
Personal information or demographic details of the respondents
such as age, marital status, and educational level.
Pretest
A test given to subjects to measure the dependent variable before
exposing them to a treatment.
Electronic questionnaire
Online questionnaire administered when a microcomputer is
hooked up to computer networks.
Delphi technique
A forecasting method that uses a cautiously selected panel of
experts in a systematic, interactive manner.
