Unit 6: Chapter 9, Non experimental research PII Flashcards
sampling frame
a popu- lation as it is defined for the purposes of selecting subjects for a study 231
element
individual mem- ber of a sampling frame 231
open ended question
one that the respondents answer in their own words
close ended question
one that limits the respondents to certain alternatives
social desirability
acquiescence
Inaccurate responses due to people’s tendencey to just agree which makes binary agree or disagree questions kind of risky
Branching items
a set of questions that enable the respondent to move through a survey in dif- ferent ways, depending upon the responses
Likert scale
The Likert scale is a popular self-report scale in which respondents are asked to rate the extent to which they agree or disagree with a statement on a five-point or a seven-point scale. (CC)
response or return rate
in survey research, the percentage of individuals in the sample who return the completed survey(226)
simple random sampling
a sample in which every member of the population has an equal and independent chance of being selected
systematic sampling
a probability sample that is not randomly selected
(starts with a sampling frame)
what is stratified sampling and why would you use it?
a random sample in which two or more sub- samples are represented according to some prede- termined proportion, generally in the same proportion as they exist in the population
(If the population densities were skewed so much that random sampling would not get equal proportions)
cluster sampling
group selected by using clusters or groupings from a larger population
(Rather than taking one-tenth of the students in each class, sampling every student in one-tenth of the classes would be more efficient.)
For what purposes are surveys used? What are the characteristics of surveys?
Distinguish among population, sampling frame, sample and elements. Give an example to illustrate these distinctions.
population-the complete set group of individuals unified by a given characteristic
sampling frame-the decisions made by the researcher as to who will be sampled
sample-data of those tested
element-a sampled piece of the sampling frame
What are the general advantages and disadvantages of mail surveys?
A: More private
D: Can’t control order questions are answered
What are the general advantages and disadvantages of personal interviews?
A: Higher response rate
Easier to elaborate
Can control order of the questions
B: Subject to increased biases
Expensive
What are the general advantages and disadvantages of telephone surveys?
A: Test administers can be supervised
D: Harder to prserve anonymity
What are the general advantages and disadvantages of internet surveys?
A: Control of questions
Checks for implausibilty (computer is reliable
Higher response rates if open 24 hours, it is convenient
great social desirability bias prevention
B: Illiterate people or people who cannot add to the the data authentically can take the survey
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using open ended questions?
More complete answers that may provide reasons for certain attitudes or behaviours
More likely to discover something unexpected by the researcher
More difficult to record and score responses
Requires more effort from respondents
Difficult for less-articulate respondents to answer
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using close-ended questions?
-Easier to code and analyse
-Requires less effort from respondents; no need to articulate answers
-Reduces expressiveness and spontaneity
Respondents may have to choose a less-than-preferred response because no alternatives really capture the respondent’s view
-More difficult to discover errors in coding or misinterpretation of questions
(1) decide what information is required; (2) decide what type of questionnaire will be used; (3) draft and then revise the questionnaire; (4) pretest the questionnaire; (5) edit the questionnaire; and (6) specify the procedures for its use.
State the criteria for a useful questionaire item (6)
-written in language familiar to all respondents.
-clear and specific. (Define the terms and the context ) -Make alternatives clear, exhaustive, and mutually exclusive in the case of closed-ended questions.
-avoid any leading, loaded, or double-barrelled questions that result in biases.
-be as concise as possible.
-all conditional information be presented prior to the key idea.
Describ how the ordering of surveys impact the quality of data collection
-Asking questions that are of interest to the participant first is a good way of keeping their attention
-asking branching questions reduced the demand on the P’s time
Under what circumstnces will answers be biased?
When the available answers are leading or loaded or when there is risk of social desirability issues.
What is acquiescence and how can researchers identify acquiescence?
This is when a tendency for humans to just agree to whatever is being asked of them skews their actual thoughts. The best way to identify it is to ask questions that, when agreed upon both, contradict each other.
What is the response rate or return rate in a survey? What can researchers do to increase the response to a survey? Especially a mail one.
-have the questions that are interesting to the respondents upfront
Discuss two limitations of survey research
Describe the ethical issues in conducting survey research.
anonymity and confidentiality (when not anonymous)
What does informed consent look like in a survey?
the researcher must inform the participants that they can skip questions, withdraw any time without consequence and thay they participate voluntarily
What steps should researchers take in a survey to ensure ethical steps are followed?
make your survey confidential and anonymous
What does it mean when something is both reliable and valid?
Reliable-it consistently gets the same results
Valid-“A valid measure will measure what it is intended to measure”
List the 4 different sample types
Haphazard, probability, convenience and purposive 229
What is purposive sampling and what is one thing to watch out for?
It is selecting the group to be surveyed that is relevant to the research question. The issue is a lapse in judgment by the researcher about who is considered relevant
What is a convenience sample
A sample of a selected population but is not close to being comprehensive. It is meant after sampling to be generalized to the rest of the appropriate population
