Lecture 8 - Survey Methods Flashcards
Which of the following is a common ethical issue for studies using naturalistic observations?
a. Reactivity
b. Subject bias
c. Observer bias
d. Covert observation
d
Not asking for their consent.
Describe what a survey is.
- A survey is a descriptive method in which participants are asked a series of questions or given statements to rate.
- Survey methods can measure almost anything that can be observed, evaluated & reported accurately.
• Survey methods can be especially useful for measuring psychological dimensions
that are difficult to induce or observe,
including attitudes, beliefs & behaviours.
- Interviews – researcher interviews a participant face to face, with the option for follow-up questions and clarifications.
- Phone surveys – researcher asks questions over the phone, which reduces costs & increases efficiency.
• Questionnaires – written, structured
questions or statements administered via
internet, post or in person.
What is the major strength of the interview format for conducting survey research?
a. it has fewer logistical problems than other methods
b. more in-depth information can be acquired than with other methods
c. unlike other methods, interviewer bias is seldom a problem
d. it is cheaper than other methods
b
What is the issue relating survey methods and correlational designs?
• When survey research methods are used in correlational designs, they are susceptible to problems of causal inference.
– Direction of causation problem
– Third variable problem
• Longitudinal designs help to address direction
of causation.
• In some surveys the third variable problem
can be addressed with statistical techniques.
What is probability sampling?
Give three variants of this.
Each member of the population has a definable probability of being selected for the sample.
- Simple random sample
- Stratified sampling
- Cluster sampling
Give 4 examples of convenience sampling.
Describe each.
Convenience sampling –
researcher requests volunteers from a group of people who meet the general requirements of the study
Snowball sampling –
previous participants recruit additional participants through their network
Purposive sampling –
researcher targets a particular group of individuals in a nonrandom way
Quota sampling –
proportions of some subgroups are the same as subgroup proportions in the population but nonrandomly selected
Validity & reliability are key _____ for survey methods.
Validity & reliability are key issues for survey methods.
There are standard procedures for developing surveys & questionnaires to ensure that instruments are valid & reliable.
The most fundamental issue is whether your
survey or questionnaire is fit for purpose:
Given your aim, are you measuring the right thing?
The wording of survey methods is important.
List some things you should ensure of when making your questions.
- Avoid ambiguity
- Avoid leading questions
- Don’t ask two questions in one item
- Aim for simplicity
- Use complete sentences
- Avoid abbreviations, slang & jargon
Asking friends or colleagues to read and comment on a survey, questionnaire, or test you have developed prior to using the instrument in a research project is an example of:
a. test-retest reliability
b. split-half technique
c. factorial design
d. pilot testing
d
What is factor analysis?
- The underlying factor structure of surveys can be evaluated with factor analysis.
- Factor analysis is a multivariate analysis in which a large number of variables are correlated with each other.
- Factor analysis allows researchers to identify which survey questions or items cluster together to form a scale.
How can the reliability of survey questions be evaluated?
• The reliability of survey questions can be evaluated with correlational analyses
– Inter-rater reliability – Correlation between two researchers
– Test-retest reliability – Correlation between test scores from different times
– Split-half reliability – Correlation between scores on 1st half of test and 2nd half of test
How can the validity of survey questions be evaluated?
• The validity of survey questions can also be evaluated with correlational analyses
– Convergent validity – Correlation between accepted measures
• Concurrent validity – Correlation with current behaviour or measure
• Predictive validity – Correlation with future behaviour or measure
– Discriminant validity – No correlation with measure of some other construct
READ CHAPTER 10
(make notes if you want or teach yourself on whiteboard)
READ CHAPTER 12
(make notes if you want or teach yourself on whiteboard)
