Ch 8: Designing the Questionnaire

Determine Wording:

-Use Simple Words:understood by everyone -Avoid Ambiguous Words and Questions(open ended/several meanings) -Avoid Leading Questions: never intentionally -Avoid Unstated Alternatives -Avoid Assumed Consequences: key point its important to ask questions that are precise and that don't require respondents to make assumptions. -Avoid Generalizations and Estimates -Avoid Double Barreled Questions

Item Nonresponse

When a poorly worded question can cause respondents to refuse to answer it, it creates problems for data analysis, poorly worded questions introduce error when people do respond, because people may misunderstand the question or interpret it in different ways.

Assumed Consequence

A problem that occurs when a question is not framed so as to clearly state the consequences and thus generates different response from individuals who assume different consequences.

Leading Question

A question framed so as to give the respondent a clue as to how he or she should answer

Double-barreled Question

A question that calls for two responses and creates confusion for the respondent. They usually have the words and/or in them.

Filter Question

A question used to determine whether a respondent is likely to possess the knowledge being sought; also used to determine whether an individual qualifies as a member of the defined population. Sometimes called screening or qualifying question.

Split-ballot technique

A technique used to combat response order bias, in which response options are reordered or randomized to create different versions of the survey.

Branching Questions

A technique used to direct respondents to different places in a questionnaire, based on their response to the question at hand.

Unstated Alternative

An alternative answer that is not expressed in a questions options. Through exploratory research and questionnaire a pretesting will help identify unstated alternatives.

Funnel Approach

An approach to question sequencing that gets its name from its shape, starting with broad questions and progressively narrowing down the scope.

Response Order Bias

An error that occurs when the response to a question is influenced by the order in which the alternatives are presented.

Rule 1 about asking sensitive questions:

Avoid them unless they are absolutely essential to your project

Dummy Table

Table that shows how the results of an analysis will be presented; in the early stage has no numbers

Procedure for Developing a Questionnaire

1) Specify what info will be sought 2) determine method of administration 3) determine content of individual questions 4) determine form of response to each question 5) determine wording of each question 6) determine question sequence 7) determine physical characteristics of questionnaire 8) develop recruiting message or script 9) reexamine steps 1-8 and revise if necessary 10) Pretest questionnaire and revise if necessary

Questions need to mean something to the respondent:

1) the respondent needs to know something about the issue addressed by the question 2) the respondent must remember the information

Most Important Things to Communicate

1) who you are 2) why you are contacting them 3) your request for their help in providing information 4) how long it will take 5) that their responses will be anonymous and/or confidential 6) any incentives they will receive for participating.

Typical Questionnaire contains two types of information:

1)basic information=refers to the subject of the study, intentions or attitudes of respondents (obtained first, most critical) 2) Classification information=referes to the other data we collect to classify residents, typically for demographic breakdowns.

Four Primary Methods of Collecting Data

Personal Interviews, telephone interview, mail questionnaires, or web based questionnaire. Choose the method that best fits your information needs, time frame, pick it early on because it will influence the number and type of questions

Open-Ended Questions

Respondents are free to reply to open-ended questions in their own words rather than being limited to choosing from a set of alternatives. About any kind of info can be gathered using open-ended questions, versatile. Two general classes of open-ended questions: 1) Seeks factual information from a respondent 2) More exploratory in nature, designed to uncover motivations and rich descriptions of feelings and attitudes "touchy-feely" questions perfect for exploratory research.

Close-Ended Questions

Respondents choose their answers from a predetermined number of responses using fixed alternative response scales. Be careful of not having the respondents true beliefs expressed in the answers. if 20-25% don't know then add an other category. Response categories must be exhaustive, all reasonable possible responses must be included, responses categories must also be mutually exclusive.

Question Order Bias

The tendency for earlier questions on a questionnaire to influence respondents answers to later questions. In general the funnel approach helps prevent problems with question order bias.

Pretest

Use of a questionnaire on a atrial basis in a small pilot study to determine how well the questionnaire works.

Results in the Media:

pay no attention to any results that are not accompanied by 1)the actual questions asked 2) a description of how the study was conducted 3) what group was surveyed.