Week 10: Questionnaires Flashcards
Describe surveys (15 points)
- Survey research is a very old, and a very popular research technique
- For example, 1800 Karl Marx in France. 25,000 questionnaires sent to workers
- Most widely used social science data-gathering technique
- Descriptive, explanatory and exploratory research purposes
- Appropriate when researching:
- Behaviours
- Beliefs, opinions, attitudes
- Characteristics
- Expectations
- Knowledge
- Many forms
- Phone
- Web
- Self-administered
Describe the stages of conducting surveys (22 points)
- Stage 1
- Decide on type of survey
- Write questions
- Decide on response categories
- Design layout - Stage
- Plan how to record data
- Pilot test survey instrument - Stage
- Target population
- Sample size
- Select sample - Stage
- Locate respondents
- Record data - Stage
- Enter data
- Recheck
- Statistical analysis - Stage
- Describe methods and findings in research report
- Present findings
List the types of surveys (4 points)
- MAIL AND SELF-ADMINISTERED QUESTIONNAIRES
- WEB SURVEYS
- TELEPHONE SURVEYS
- FACE-TO-FACE INTERVIEWS
Describe MAIL AND SELF-ADMINISTERED QUESTIONNAIRES (4 points)
- Hand administered to a group or mailed to a sample
- Distribution and return practices
- Sponsorship
- Inducement to respond
List the advantages of MAIL AND SELF-ADMINISTERED QUESTIONNAIRES (4 points)
- Inexpensive, easy for a single researcher
- Send to a wide geographical area
- Respondent can complete when convenient
- Offer anonymity
List the disadvantages of MAIL AND SELF-ADMINISTERED QUESTIONNAIRES (4 points)
- Low response rate
- No control over completion conditions
- No one present to clarify questions or probe for further information
- Limits the type of questions
Describe Web Surveys (2 points)
- Use same basic design as mail surveys
- Online link provided to potential participants
List the advantages of Web Surveys (3 points)
- Fast and inexpensive
- Flexible design
- Visual images, audio or video
List the disadvantages of Web Surveys (3 points)
- Coverage
- Privacy and confidentiality
- Verification
Describe telephone surveys (6 points)
- Can reach 95% of households
- Use of telephone interview schedules
- Samples:
- Telephone directory
- Random digit dialing (RDD)
- Selecting respondent
List the advantages of telephone surveys (4 points)
- Popular – reach almost entire population
- Flexible design
- Cheaper to conduct than face-to-face
- Can decrease missing data
List the disadvantages of telephone surveys (3 points)
- Limited interview length
- Increased use of mobiles
- Large number of attempts may be required
Describe FACE-TO-FACE INTERVIEWS (3 points)
- Structured: planned and standardised
- Semi-structured: combination of pre-determined and unstructured
- Unstructured: conversational or informal
List the advantages of FACE-TO-FACE INTERVIEWS (4 points)
- Highest response rate
- Longest questionnaires
- Nonverbal communication
- All types of questions
List the disadvantages of FACE-TO-FACE INTERVIEWS (3 points)
- High cost
- Interviewer bias
- Training
Label the missing areas as either low, moderate or high (24 points)
List type of questions (7 points)
- Need questions that indicate direction & strength of feelings
- Likert scale
- 2 point score
- Semantic scale
- Ranking
- Closed ended
- Open ended
Describe the advantages and disadvantages of 2 point scale (5 points)
ADVANTAGES
- No fence sitting
- Easy to understand
- Reliable - accurate
DISADVANTAGES
- Irritating
- Does not represent strength of feelings
Describe the advantages and disadvantages of ranking (4 points)
ADVANTAGES
- Easy to score
- Prioritise
DISADVANTAGES
- Errors in responding – unreliable
- Doesn’t include all possibilities – “other”
Describe the advantages and disadvantages of likert scale (9 points)
ADVANTAGES
- 4-7 descriptors
- Adaptable
- Administration
- Quantify
- Analyse – Chi square
DISADVANTAGES
- Developing valid and reliable items takes time
- Odd = fence sitting
- Even = force unreal decision
- Multidimensional questions
Describe the advantages and disadvantages of semantic differential scale (6 points)
ADVANTAGES
- Adaptable
- Allows evaluation of several different components
DISADVANTAGES
- Difficult to find accurate bipolar adjectives
- Scoring
- Time consuming
- Errors
Describe the differences between closed and open-ended response questions (4 points)
Closed Response
- Refers to questions that have fixed categories for respondents to choose
- Quantitative analysis
Open-ended
- Allows for free responses
- Qualitative analysis
Describe the advantages and disadvantages of closed responses (8 points)
ADVANTAGES
- Quicker and easier for respondents
- Easier analysis. Comparison of answers
- Response choices can clarify question meaning
- Less articulate or less literate are not disadvantaged
DISADVANTAGES
- Suggest answers that respondent may not have thought of
- Confusing if too many choices
- Errors are possible i.e. Misinterpretation, Marking wrong answer
- Can answer even if you have no knowledge or opinion
Describe the advantages and disadvantages of open responses (14 points)
ADVANTAGES
- Unlimited answers
- Detail
- Clarify
- Self-expression
- Richness
- Unanticipated findings
DISADVANTAGES
- Different level of detail
- Difficulties
- Irrelevant responses
- Written verbatim
- Coding
- Statistical analysis
- Articulate and highly literate – advantage
- Time, thought and effort
Describe the principles of questions-writing (17 points)
- Choose your wording carefully. Be careful of Jargon, slang, abbreviations, vagueness
- Avoid:
- Emotional language
- Prestige bias
- Double-barrelled questions
- Beliefs as real
- Leading questions
- Issues beyond a respondent’s capabilities
- False premises
- Distant future intentions
- Double negatives
- Unbalanced responses
- Other issues:
- Threatening questions
- Socially desirable questions
- Knowledge questions
- Skip or contingency questions
Describe the structure of a questionnaire (13 points)
- Layout of questionnaire:
1. Title
2. Brief introduction and explanation of research
3. General demographic questions
4. Non-threatening or less sensitive questions
5. Any sensitive or threatening questions
6. Open-ended question asking for any additional information or feedback
7. Conclusion with brief statement thanking respondents for time and effort - Keep questionnaire as short as is reasonably possible
- Appearance of the questionnaire is important
- Use bold font and underlying for titles/headings
- Use examples and sample questions for clarity, but be careful not to introduce bias.
- Use existing scales or measures where possible
