Survey Design Flashcards
What 6 components do we need to consider when designing surveys?
1) Instructions (to standardise and increase reliability)
2) Order of the questions
3) Demographics (characteristics of our sample)
4) Open vs Closed questions
5) Writing/formulating the questions
6) Avoiding response bias
What are the criteria for good survey instruction?
- Standardised (the same instructions given to all Ps)
- Clear and direct
- Avoid jargon and complex/technical terms
How do we order the survey questions?
List 4 things we could do.
- Divide a survey into sections (e.g. by topic or question type)
- Ensure Ps are eligible (screening)
- Start with easy and engaging questions
- Use funnelling/branching questions if appropriate
What are survey demographics?
The characteristics of the sample that is participating in the survey
What could be included in the survey to obtain information on sample demographics? List 8 examples
- D.O.B./age
- Gender
- Ethnic and/or racial background
- Place of birth
- Religion
- Sexual orientation
- Relationship status
- Occupation or earnings
What 2 criteria must demographic survey questions follow?
1) Must be relevant questions
2) Ensure that response options are inclusive to all
What are the advantages of open questions?
List 3
- Provide more detail
- Rich data
- Don’t impose assumptions
What are the disadvantages of open questions?
List 2
- Longer and more difficult to complete
- Difficult to analyse responses (often subjective)
When should we use open questions?
Only when they are justified
When are open questions most useful?
For descriptive, exploratory work
What are the advantages of closed questions?
List 3
- Quick to complete
- Easy to analyse
(objective) - Standardised responses
What are the disadvantages of closed questions?
List 2
- Can impose assumptions
- Oversimplify complex issues
What 3 things must we consider when asking closed questions?
- Ensure questions are unambiguous
- Provide clear response options
- Carefully consider the style of response options
When are closed questions most useful?
For explanatory or predictive work
When formulating survey questions, what 5 things should we avoid?
1) Double-barrelled questions
2) Double-negative questions
3) Ambiguous questions
4) Leading questions
5) Questions with jargon
What are double-barrelled questions?
Composed of two separate issues or topics but allows just one response
Composed of two separate issues or topics but allows just one response
This is known as…?
Double-barrelled questions
Why should we avoid double-barrelled questions?
Because they are confusing and it is impossible to determine the true intention of respondents from data
What is the problem with this question?
Is your personal style influenced by magazines and TV?
Double-barrelled question
What is the problem with this question?
How satisfied are you with your pay and work environment?
Double-barrelled question
Why should we not ask double-negative questions?
Double negatives can occur as a result of negative response options
What is wrong with this question?
It is not a good idea to not submit work on time
Double-negative question
Why should we not ask questions with negotiations? List 2 reasons
1) Introduce complexity and can be missed
2) Can result in non-response or misunderstanding
Instead of negotiations, how should we present questions?
Present questions as a positive statement instead of negative statements
