Exam 2: Survey Research Flashcards
Survey research
A method for collecting data by asking participants to report on their thoughts, feelings, or behaviors, often through questionnaires or interviews.
Respondents
Individuals who participate in a survey and provide self-reported data on their thoughts, feelings, or behaviors.
Context effects
Unintended influences on respondents’ answers that result from the context in which a survey item appears, not from the item content itself.
Item-order effects
When the order in which questions are presented affects how participants respond, potentially altering the results of the survey.
Open-ended items
Survey questions that allow respondents to answer in their own words without predetermined response options.
Closed-ended items
Survey questions that provide a limited set of response options for participants to choose from.
Rating scale
An ordered set of response options for participants to choose from, typically used for measuring attitudes or behaviors.
Likert scale
A type of rating scale commonly used in survey research where participants indicate their level of agreement with a statement on a multi-point scale.
BRUSO
An acronym for “brief,” “relevant,” “unambiguous,” “specific,” and “objective,” representing key principles for writing good survey questions.
Sampling
The process of selecting a subset of individuals from a population to participate in a study, intended to represent the population.
Probability sampling
A sampling method where each member of the population has a known, non-zero chance of being selected for the sample.
Non-probability sampling
A sampling method where the probability of any particular individual being selected is unknown.
Convenience sampling
A type of non-probability sampling where participants are selected based on availability and willingness to participate.
Snowball sampling
A non-probability sampling technique where existing participants help recruit additional participants, often used for hard-to-reach populations.
Quota sampling
A non-probability sampling technique where researchers aim to recruit specific proportions of subgroups in the population.
Self-selection sampling
A non-probability sampling method where participants choose to participate in the study on their own, without being approached by researchers.
Sampling frame
A list or other source used to identify the members of a population from which a sample will be drawn.
Simple random sampling
A probability sampling method where each member of the population has an equal chance of being selected for the sample.
Stratified random sampling
A probability sampling method that involves dividing the population into subgroups (strata) and randomly sampling from each stratum.
Cluster sampling
A probability sampling technique where the population is divided into clusters, and entire clusters are randomly selected to participate.
Sampling bias
A systematic error that occurs when the sample is not representative of the population, leading to inaccurate results.
Non-response bias
A form of sampling bias that occurs when individuals who do not respond to a survey differ systematically from those who do, affecting results.