Week 3 Reading de Vauss (1999): Structured Questionnaires and Interviews Flashcards

1
Q

Descriptive research questions

A

= answer the ‘what’ questions:
- charecteristics of a population
- levels of a phenomenon

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2
Q

Questions to refine focus of descriptive research questions

5

A
  1. Over what time period is description required? Current trends vs past vs over time?
  2. What is the geographical location of my interest?
  3. Do i want to describe pattenrs seperately for different sub-groups?
  4. What aspect of the topic am I interested in?
  5. How abstract is my interest?
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3
Q

Explanatory research questions

A

= explain why things are the way they are, causes and consequeneces of a phenomenon

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4
Q

Four main forms of explanatory research

A
  1. Searching for causes
  2. Searching for consequences
  3. Testing a simple proposition
  4. Testing more complex ideas
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5
Q

questions to ask for explanatory research

4

A
  1. What am I seeking to explain?
  2. What are the possible causes (or consequences)?
  3. Which causes (or consequences) will I explore?
  4. What are the possible mechanisms?
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6
Q

Characteristics of good questions for questionnaires (6)

A
  • Validity
  • Reliability
  • Discrimination (sensitive to measuring real and meaningful differences in a sample)
  • Eliciting igh response rate (minimising non-response)
  • Same meaning for all respondents
    (minimising misinterpretation,
    maximising clarity and avoiding
    ambiguity)
  • Relevance

drivers (no ‘i’)

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7
Q

Factors that contribute to non-response (4) of a questionnaire

A
  • question content
  • question construction
  • method of administration
  • questionnaire length
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8
Q

questions to ask to ensure a question is relevant enough for inclusion in a questionnaire (3)

A
  • Does it measure a concept that the research is addressing?
  • Do other questions measure the concept adequately?
  • How will it be used in analysis
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9
Q

Five main types of question content

A
  • behaviour: what ppl do
  • beliefs: what ppl believe to be true or false
  • attitudes: what ppl think is desirable
  • knowledge: whether ppl have info on a topic
  • attributes: ppl’s characteristics
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10
Q

Three different aspects of measurement when investigating attitudes and beliefs

A
  1. direction: for or against
  2. intensity: how strongly/deeply
  3. extremity: how extreme it is
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11
Q

Open-ended question

A

= asks a question and respondent formulates own response

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12
Q

Closed-ended question

A

= respondent chooses from set of predetermined responses

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13
Q

Open-ended question advantages

2

A
  • useful for
    explaining reasoning behind answers in as
    much detail as needed
  • don’t force opinions to conform to a pre-set list
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14
Q

Open-ended question disadvantages (3)

A
  • harder to analyse
  • opportunities for bias against less talkative and articulate respondents
  • high rate of non-response
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15
Q

Closed-ended question advantages (6)

A
  • less physical effort and time
  • less mental effort, as the possible answers act as prompts
  • lower rate of non-response
  • easier to code for
    data analysis
  • no discrimination against
    respondents who are less talkative or articulate
  • questions are answered within the correct frame of reference.
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16
Q

Closed-ended question disadvantages (2)

A
  • create false opinions via providing only a narrow range
    of alternatives or prompting acceptable
    answers
  • lack the why
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17
Q

Types of open-ended questions

6

A
  • the opener
  • suggestion questions
  • follow-up questions
  • the why question
  • knowledge or memory tests
  • information-based
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18
Q

The opener

A
  • non-directive, general, non-specific
  • gets respondent thinking
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19
Q

Suggestion questions

A

= asks for suggestions about a topic or for ways of improving a situation

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20
Q

Follow-up questions

A

= ask for more detail regarding a previous answer

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21
Q

The why question

A

= ask why they answered a previous question the way they did

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22
Q

Knowledge or memory tests

A

= work out whether ppl are informed about a topic

23
Q

Information-based open questions

A

= obtain detailed factual information

24
Q

Response formats used in closed-ended questions

A
  • rating scales
    - likert scales
    - numerical rating scales:
    - horizontal
    - vertical/ladder
    - score out of 10
    - semantic differential
    - rating thermometre
  • rankings
  • checklists
  • selecting alternative statements
25
Q

what do all forms of rating scales have in common?

3

A
  • require one and only one response to each item
  • well suited to lists of items or attitude statements
  • provide ordered data where answers can be ranked high to low
26
Q

Likert scales

A

= measure the intensity, extremity and direction of attitudes by having participants select their level of agreement/disagreement with a given statement

27
Q

Numerical rating scales

A

= opposite attitudes are provided and participants rate where they lie on a scale
between them

28
Q

Score out of 10 rating scales

A

= rate each statement individually

29
Q

Semantic differential rating scales

A

= use opposite adjectives instead of opposite statements at
opposite ends of the scale

30
Q

The rating thermometer

A

= rates people’s feelings about items out of 100 individually

31
Q

Rankings

A

= rating importance or strength of agreement of an item relative to the way other items in the set have been rated

32
Q

Checklists

A

= respondants circle/check items that apply to them from a list, or checking doesn’t/does describe me for each item in an alternative checklist format

33
Q

Selecting alternative statements

A

= selecting which one of several attitudes or beliefs is closest to their own

34
Q

Number of response chategories

3

A
  • Dichotomies (2)
  • Five-point scales (5)
  • Longer scales
35
Q

Issues with dichotomies

2

A
  • implicit vs explicit alternatives
  • false dichotomies
36
Q

Two main types of questions with more than 2 response alternatives

A
  • lists of responses (unorded alternatives): normal/long lists vs two-step approach
  • graded responses (degree of feeling): anchor word vs no anchor word
37
Q

How to offer ‘don’t know’ and ‘no opinion’ alternatives (3)

A
  • filtering for non-response (do u have an opinion? –> what is it?)
  • providing a ‘don’t know’ alternative (included without a filter question)
  • respondent-initiated non-response/’don’t know’ (allow without offering it, in interviews)
38
Q

Principles in developing response categories (6)

A
  • Exhaustiveness/inclusiveness = ensuring the set of alternate answers
    encompasses responses from all respondents
  • Exclusiveness = alternative responses should be mutually exclusive, one and only one answer for each question
  • Maximising variance: by having many specific response categories
  • Balancing categories = having the same number of categories in each direction to avoid bias
  • Designing questions to be answerable to anyone from any context without assuming knowledge
  • Using similar degree of precision to that provided by the respondent
  • Providing a frame of reference = specifying parameters to ensure the question being answered is the same as that being asked

every extra vibe brings new flex

exhaustive, exclusive, variance, balanced +/-, no assumptions, precision, frame of reference

39
Q

Key issues in question wording (10)

A
  • Double-barrelled questions = 2 questions asked at once
  • Overly long questions
  • Complex words that can be understood differently by different people (e.g. slang, jargon)
  • Vague/ambiguous words are too general and meaning varies between people
  • Leading questions = question structure and/ or wording influences respondent to respond in a certain way
  • Double negatives: confusing, leading to unreliable responses to agree/disagree statements.
  • The dead giveaway = absolute, allinclusive or exclusive words that allow no exceptions: agreed with by few people, leading to low variance and poor item discrimination.
  • Dangling alternatives = structuring a question with the response alternatives at the beginning, before the subject matter is introduced.
  • Acquiescence = the inclination to agree with a statement regardless of its content.
  • Social desirability = the tendency to answer in a way that is seen as respectable rather than with the truth
40
Q

Three main methods of administering questionnaires

page 368 table 16.1 use goodnotes tape

A
  • face-to-face interview
  • phone interview
  • postal survey
41
Q

Issues/ factors of designing and administering questionnaires

5

A
  • response rates
  • representative samples
  • questionnaire design
  • quality of answers
  • implementing the survey
42
Q

Three critical aspects of implementing surveys

A
  • cost
  • speed
  • access to skilled staff
43
Q

Maximising response rates in personal interviews

11

A
  1. Call back up to 4 times
  2. Appropriate timing
  3. Prior contact by letter or phone
  4. Confidence, assume co-operation
  5. Avoid looking like a salesperson
  6. Dress in e neat but neutral manner
  7. Give organisation name, purpose of survey, answer questions about respondent selection
  8. Use identity card with photo
  9. Provide written sheet about survey and sponsoring organisation and contact number
  10. If busy, arrange another time
  11. Avoid people refusing on behalf of others
44
Q

Ensuring quality in personal interviews (structured)

10

A
  1. Relaxed environment
  2. No third parties
  3. Sit opposite respondent
  4. Use eye contact
  5. Never leave questionnaire behind for respondents to complete at leisure
  6. Keep respondent on track without making it sound ike a test, dont try to educate, convince or convert
  7. Avoid revealing personal opinions
  8. Read questions exactly as they appear on the schedule for uniformity
  9. Record answers as they are provided, don’t rely on memory
  10. Check interview schedule at the end to ensure no questions have been missed
45
Q

Approaches to ensure smooth implementation of personal interviews

4

A
  1. Carefully plan time and location to minimise cot/time of travel
  2. In community surveys, notify police to alleviate anxiety about strangers visiting houses
  3. Field controller allocates addresses, checks completed interviews, ensures satisfactory rate of completion
  4. System of recording details of interview e.g. travel, appointments, callbacks, times of visits
46
Q

Maximising response rates in postal surveys

10, 3, 3

A

Cover letter simple, business-like, no more than a page long, including:
1. Official letterhead
2. Date of mailing
3. Full name and address of respondent
4. Clear and concise explanation of study purpose and usefulness
5. Explanation of respondent selection + importance of participation
6. Assurance of confidentiality/anonymity
7. What will be done with results + offer to provide summary of key results
8. Offer to answer questions
9. Handwritten signature in blue ink that stands out as being personalised
10. Position of the researcher
Personalised envelopes:
1. Type respondents name instead of sticker
2. Stamps rather than bulk postage
3. Include stamped, self-addressed envelope
Incentives
Mail-out date (Tuesday is best, avoid holidays)
Follow-up procedure:
1. First follow-up ~1 week later: thank for completion, reminder of completion
2. Second follow-up 3 weeks: only to non-respondents, new letter, replacement questionnaire, new return envelope, more insistent cover letter
3. Third follow up if funds and time allow

47
Q

6 Key areas of postal questionnaire layout

A
  1. Answering procedures
  2. Filter questions
  3. Instructions
  4. Appearance
  5. Question order
  6. Coding
48
Q

Four types of instructions that should be included in a postal questionnaire

A
  1. General instructions: purpose, how to complete and return
  2. Section introductions: when questions are grouped
  3. Question instructions: how to answer specific questions
  4. Filter questions: instruct where to skip to etc.
49
Q

Maximising response rates to postal interviews through appearance

9

A
  1. Avoid clutter
  2. Booklet format with cover, stapled down spine
  3. Professional printing, card cover, at least one colour and a graphic
  4. 2.5cm wide column on right-hand side of page for coding
  5. Sufficient space for open-ended questions
  6. List alternative responses vertically rather than horizontally
  7. Clear font and size
  8. Question and section numbers
  9. Do not split question across pages
50
Q

Maximising response rates to postal interviews through question order

A
  1. start with enjoyable questions
  2. easy –> difficult
  3. concrete –> abstract
  4. sociodemographic questions at end (boring)
  5. open-ended questions minimised and at end
  6. group questions into sections
  7. filter questions
  8. mix up positive and negative items
51
Q

Minimising respondents forgetting alternatives in telephone interviews

3

A
  • reduce number of categories
  • split question into parts
  • repeat alternatives by building into question and responses
52
Q

CATI

A

= Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing, software where you enter questions into a computer and program for complex skips and wording modification of subsequent questions

53
Q

CAPI

A

= Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing, face-to-face assisted by CATI