Exam 2 Flashcards
Survey Research
Reasearch in which information is obtained from a sample of individuals through their response to questions about themselves or others
Pros of survey research
- can be used to collect data from a broad spectrum of individuals and social settings
- low cost
- quick
3 advantages of survey research
versatility
efficiency
generalizability
omnibus survey
one of the most efficient survey research -
a survey that covers a range of topics of interest to different social scientists
most likely use of omnibus survey
government funded, used regularly to get info on things such as:
social issues
income levels
unemployment rate
professional survey organization sponsored, used to get info on:
academic research
reporting in popular media
6 ways to write survey questions
- avoid confusing phrasing
- minimize the risk of bias
- maximize the utility of response categories
- avoid making either disagreement or agreement disagreeable
- minimize fence-sitting/floating
- combine questions in indexes
ways to avoid confusing phrasing
- shorter rather than longer words/sentences
- simple direct approach
- total number of words below 20
- total number of commas below 3
- using introductory cues or comments
- avoid double negative/double barreled questions
- use filter questions
double negative
a question or statement that contains 2 negatives, which can muddy the meaning of a question
double barreled question
A single survey question that actually asks 2 questions but allows only one answer
filter question
a survey question used to identify a subset of respondents who then are asked other questions
skip pattern
the unique combination of questions created in a survey by filter questions and contigent questions
contingent question
A question that is asked of only a subset of survey respondents
ways to minimize the risk of bias
- avoid loaded phrases/words
- make sure to reflect the full range of possible answers to a question (definitely agree, somewhat agree…)
ways to maximize the utility of response categories
- response choices must be exhaustive and mutually exclusive
- problems with response choices can be corrected by adding questions
- present a statement and then ask respondents to indicate their degree of agreement or disagreement (likert item)
- label categories of responses
likert item
a statement followed by response choices ranging from “strongly agree” to “stongly disagree”
labeled unipolar response options
response choices for a survey question that use words to identify categories ranging from low to high (or vice versa)
unlabeled unipolar response options
response choices for a survey question that use numbers to identify categories ranging from low to high ( or vice versa)
bipolar response options
response choices to a survey question that include a middle category and parallel responses with positive and negative valence (can be labeled or unlabeled)
ways to avoid making either disagreement or agreement disagreeable
- include both sides of attitude scaled in the question itself
- response choices should be phrased to make each one seem as socially approved as the others
- make agreement seem acceptable when asking a socially disapproved behavior question
social desirability bias
the tendency to “agree” with a statement just to avoid seeming disagreeable
ways to minimize fence-sitting and floating
have an explicit neutral response option
fence sitters
survey respondents who see themselves as being neutral on an issue and choose a middle (neutral) response that is offered
floaters
survey respondents who provide an opinion on a topic in response to a close-ended question that does not include a “don’t know” option, but who will choose “don’t know” if it is available
forced choice questions
close-ended survey questions that do not include “don’t know” as an explicit response choice
idosyncratic variation
variation in responses to questions that is caused by individuals’ ractions to particular words or ideas in the questions instead of by variation in relation to the concept that the question is intended to measure
ways to combine questions in indexes
develop multiple questions about a concept and then average the responses to those questions in a composite measure (index/scale)
questionnaire
the survey instrument containing the questions asked by the interviewer in an in-person or phone survey
interview schedule
the survey instrument containing the questions asked by the interviewer in an in-person or phone survey
how to properly design a questionnaire
- build on existing instruments
- refine and test questions
- add interpretive questions
- maintain consistent focus
- order the questions
- make the questionnaire attractive
- consider translation
errors in survey research
- poor measurement
- nonresponse
- inadequate coverage of the population
- sampling error
cognitive interview
a technique for evaluating questions in which researchers ask people test questions and then probe with follow up questions to learn how they understood the question and what their answers mean
survey pretest
a method of evaluating survey questions and procedures by testing them on a small sample of individuals like those to be included in the actual survey and then reviewing responses to the questions and reactions to the survey procedures
interpretive questions
questions included in a questionnaire or interview schedule to help explain answers to other important questions
context effects
effects that occur when one or more survey questions influence how subsequent questions are interpreted
part-whole question effects
effects that occur when responses to a general or summary survey question about a topic are influenced by responses to an earlier, more specific question about that topic
matrix questions
a series of questions that concern a common theme and that have the same response choices
5 basic social science survey designs
- mailed, self-administered
- group-administered
- phone
- in person
- web
how do the different survey designs differ
manner of administration & questionnaire structure, setting & cost
rules for a cover letter in a mailed survery
- credible
- personalized
- interesting
- responsible
CATI
computer assisted telephone interview
IVR
interactive voice response (computerized survey technology)
making phone surveys better
- reaching sample units
- maximizing response to phone surveys
in person surveys
if money is no object, in person interviewing is often the best survey design because people are more likely to agree to be interviewed and are less likely to end prematurely