Junior level intro to survey methodology.

1. Developmental Research
Methods
Topic 14: Questionnaires, and surveys
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2. Open ended questions
 Does not impose bias on subject
 Gives you data you may not have
expected
 Difficulty in analysis
◦ Finding patterns
◦ Expert coding
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3. Fixed alternative
 Dichotomous
◦ Yes, no
 Multiple alternatives
◦ Yes….., Yes…. Only if …, No
 Funneling
◦ Start broad – get narrow
 Make sure you do not have overlap in
options
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4. Likert-type scaling
 Minimum of 5 options
 7 – 9 preferred
 Add the scores for an index of
something
 Self-efficacy
◦ 22 Likert-type questions, 1-5 then
summed
◦ Ranges indicate levels of self efficacy
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5. Semantic Differentials
 Good __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Bad
 Soft __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Hard
 Sexy __ __ __ __ __ __ __ repulsive
 Measured differentials
 Good Bad
 Soft Hard
 Sexy Repulsive
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6. Considerations
 Vagueness is your enemy
 Question order
◦ Rate the worst things about your
relationship
◦ Rate the best things about your
relationship
 Leading/loaded questions
◦ Have you stopped driving drunk?
 One topic at a time
◦ President Obama is doing a good job and
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7. Reactive questions
 Sensitive questions – non anonymous
◦ E.g., sexual or illicit topics
 Random response
◦ Flip a coin and tell them to answer YES or
tell the truth.
◦ Must not be open ended
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8. Survey administration
 Face to face
◦ Get clues about motivation
◦ Judge comprehension
◦ Interviewer bias
◦ Not anonymous
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9. Survey administration
 Telephone interviews
◦ Benefits of face to face
◦ More efficient
◦ No longer a random sample
◦ Must be done quickly (about 15 minutes)
◦ Still an issue with anonymity
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10. Survey Administration
 Mailed surveys
◦ Response rate
◦ 50% is good, below this is normal
◦ Look professional
◦ Make it easy to complete
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11. Survey Administration
 Computers
◦ Faster
◦ More enjoyable
◦ More honest!
◦ Easier to control proper responding
◦ Inexpensive
◦ biased
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