Research Methods Chp. 15

Front 1

Open-ended Response Questions

Back 1

Questions that pose some problem and ask respondents to answer in their own words

Front 2

Fixed-Alternative Questions

Back 2

Questions in which respondents are given specific, limited-alternative responses and asked to choose the one closest to their own viewpoint

Front 3

Simple-Dichotomy (Dichotomous) Question

Back 3

A fixed-alternative question that requires the respondent to choose one of two alternatvies

Front 4

Determinant-choice Question

Back 4

A fixed-alternative question that requires therespondent to choose on response from among multiple alternatives

Front 5

Frequency-determination Question

Back 5

A fixed-alternative question that asks for an answer about general frequency of occurence

Front 6

Checklist Question

Back 6

A fixed-alternative question tha allows the respondent to provide multiple answers to a single question by checking off items

Front 7

Totally Exhaustive

Back 7

A category exists for every respondent in among the fixed-alternative categories

Front 8

Mutually Exclusive

Back 8

No overlap exists among the fixed-alternative categories

Front 9

Leading Question

Back 9

A question that suggest or implies certain answers

Front 10

Loaded Question

Back 10

A question that suggest a socially deisrable answer or is emotionally charged

Front 11

Counterblasting Statement

Back 11

An introductory statement or preamble to a potentialy embarrassing question that reduces a respondent's reluctance to answer by suggesting that certain behaviour is not unusual

Front 12

Split-Ballot Technique

Back 12

Using two alternative phrasings of the same question for respective halves of a sample to elicit a more accurate totaly response than would a single phrasing

Front 13

Double-barreled Question

Back 13

A question that may induce bias because it covers two issues at once

Front 14

Order Bias

Back 14

Bias caused by the influence of earlier questions in a questionnaire or by an answer's position in a set of answers

Front 15

Funnel Technique

Back 15

Asking general questions before specific questions in order to obtain unbiased responses

Front 16

Filter Question

Back 16

A question that screens out respndents who are not qualified to answer a second question

Front 17

Pivot Question

Back 17

A filter question used to determine which version of a second question will be asked

Front 18

Multiple-Grid Question

Back 18

Several similar questions arranged in a grid format

Front 19

Push Button

Back 19

In a dialog box on an internet questionnaire, a small outlined area, such as a rectangle or an arrow, that the respondent clicks on to select an option or perform a function, such as submit

Front 20

Status Bar

Back 20

In an internet questionnaire, a visual indicator that tells the respondent what portion of the survey he or she has completed

Front 21

Radio Button

Back 21

In an internet questionnaire, a circular icon, resembling a button, that activates on response choice and deactivates others when a respondent clicks on it

Front 22

Drop-down Box

Back 22

In an internet questionnaire, a space-saving device that reveals responses when they are needed but otherwise hides them from view

Front 23

Check Boxes

Back 23

In an internet questionnaire, small graphic boxes, next to answers, that a respondent clocks on to choose an answer; typicall. a check mark or an 'X' appears in the box when the respondent clicks on it

Front 24

Open-ended Boxes

Back 24

In an internet questionnaire, boxes where respondents can type in their own answers to open-ended questions

Front 25

Pop-up Boxes

Back 25

In an inernet questionnaire, boxes that appear at selected points and contain information or instructions for respondents

Front 26

Variable Piping Software

Back 26

Software that allows variables to be inserted into an internet questionnaire as a respondent is completing it

Front 27

Error Trapping

Back 27

Using software to control the flow of an internet questionnaire -- for exampling, to prevent respondents from backing up or failing to answer a question

Front 28

Forced Answering Software

Back 28

Software that prevents respondents from continuing with an Internet questionnaire if they fail to answer a question

Front 29

Interactive Help Desk

Back 29

In an internet questionnaire, a live, real-time support feature that solves problems or answers questions respondents may encounter in completing the questionnaire

Front 30

Preliminary Tabulation

Back 30

A tabulation of the results of a pretest to help determine whether the questionnaire will meet the objectives of the research

Front 31

Back Translation

Back 31

Taking a questionnaire that has previoulsy been translated into another language and having a second, independent translator translate it back to the original language

Front 32

What is a common error in questionnaire design?

Back 32

To suppose the question means the same to the respondent as it does to the researcher who wrote it

Front 33

Key decisions in questionnaire design

Back 33

1) What should be asked?
2) How should each question be phrased?
3) In what sequence should the questions be arranged
4) What questionnaire layout will best serve the research objectives
5) How should the questionnaire be pretested? Does the questionnaire need to be revised?

Front 34

Examples of issues resolved in the early stages of the research process that have indirect influence on questionnaire design

Back 34

Problem definition, type of info to be collected, how the data will be collected, planned statistical treatment

Front 35

Releveance

Back 35

The linking of each question to a specific research objective

*every question in a questionnaire must be linked to a specific stated research objective

Front 36

Accuracy

Back 36

Ensuring the reliability and validity of each question by assuring that each question is characterized by:
Ease of recall
Ease of response
Freedom from embarassment

Front 37

What are the two basic types of questions?

Back 37

Open-ended questions and fixed-alternative questions

Front 38

Open-ended Questions

Back 38

pose an issue or topic and ask the respondent to answer in their own way. Researcher must then copy or capture everything the respondent says

Front 39

Advantages of Open-ended Questions

Back 39

1) Useful for exploratory research when the possible range of responses is uncertain
2)Offers researchers the opportunity for probing and surfacing addition info
3)Useful as a warm-up to get the respondent talking in a personal interview

Front 40

Disadvantages of Open-ended Questions

Back 40

1) Analysis is very labour intensive -- costly and time-consuming to edit, code and analyze
2)Subject to interviewer bias --leaves it up to the interviewer to quickly capture the words
3)Articulate and gabby respondents may be over-represented and skew the data

Front 41

Fixed-Alternative Questions

Back 41

The respondent is limited to choosing from among pre-set structured alternatives such as "yes/no"

Front 42

Advantages of Fixed-Alternative Questions

Back 42

1) Requires less interviewer skill
2) Faster and less costly
3) Less burdensome and easier for the respondent

Front 43

Disadvantages of Fixed-Alternative Questions

Back 43

1) Constrains respondents to choices offered
2)Respondents may interpret the question differently
3)May miss aspects of the question not considered by researchers

Front 44

Simple-dichotomy Question

Back 44

Requires the respondents to choose one of two alternatives presented

i.e. "Do you take public transportation to work?"
Yes___ No ___

Front 45

Determinant-choice Question

Back 45

Requires a respondent to choose one and only one response from among several possible alternatives

i.e. "Where do you sit?"
1st class ____ Business Class ____ Coach ____

Front 46

Frequency-determination Question

Back 46

Asks for an answer about frequency of occurence of some behaviour or event

i.e. "How many times a week do you eat at the Eagle's Nest?"
___never ___0-2 ___3-5 ___6-8

Front 47

Attitude rating scales

Back 47

Measures used to rate attitudes -- Likert scale, semantic differential scale, Stapel scale

Front 48

Checklist Question

Back 48

Allows the respondent to provide multiple answers to a single question

i.e. "What business publications do you read on a regular basis? Check all that apply"

Front 49

Issues with Fixed-Alternative Questions

Back 49

1) Mutual Exclusivity
2) Lowest Category
3) Unanticipated outcomes
4) Fatigue
5) Complexity

Front 50

Mutual Exclusivity

Back 50

Questions must be written so that alternative choices do not overlap

Front 51

Lowest Category

Back 51

We don't like to be at the bottom of a scale that might be ego-threating

Front 52

Unancticipated outcomes

Back 52

It is most usual for the first draft of questions to produce counter questions from respondents who have difficulty with the intent of the question or see multiple meanings

Front 53

Fatigue

Back 53

Important to prevent loss of interest or fatigue from overly length and burdensome questionnaires

Front 54

Complexity

Back 54

Avoid words and terms that may not be familiar to the target population

Front 55

What are some things to avoid when designing questionnaires?

Back 55

1) Leading/Loaded Questions
2) Invoking Discomfort
3) Ambiguity
4) Double-barreled items
5) Assumptions
6) Memory-taxing questions

Front 56

Loading Question

Back 56

Suggest or implies certain questions

Front 57

Leading Questions

Back 57

Suggests a socially respectable answer or is emotionally charged

Front 58

Avoiding Invoking Discomfort

Back 58

People often prefer to add something than change something

Front 59

Counterbalancing Statement

Back 59

A preface to reduce reluctance to answer potentially embarrasing questions

Front 60

Split-ballot Technique

Back 60

To control response bias, two alternative phrasings of the same question can be given to each half of a sample

Front 61

Avoid Ambiguity

Back 61

Although somtimes it is difficult to entirely avoid, certain words are pyschologically and pyschometrically indefinite

Front 62

Avoid Double-barreled Items

Back 62

These are questions that cover two issues at once -- must be separated into two questions

Front 63

Avoid Assumptions

Back 63

These are questions that contain an implicit assumption with which the respondent may not agree

Front 64

Avoid Memory-Taxing Questions

Back 64

Don't use questions that make serious demands on a person' memory

Front 65

Unaided Recall

Back 65

Giving no help to the respondent

Front 66

Aided Recall

Back 66

Giving some help to the respondent

Front 67

Telescoping

Back 67

When the respondent believes a past event occurred more recently than was the case -- pulling the event closer in time

Front 68

Squishing

Back 68

When the respondent believes a fairly recent event occured further in the past -- shoving the event back in time

Front 69

Sequencing Questions

Back 69

1) Keep opening questions easy and interesting to engage interest and cooperation
2) Avoid starting off asking for personal and demographic information --puts people off -- save them for the end

Front 70

Order Bias

Back 70

The influence of earlier questions on answers to later questions

Front 71

Primacy

Back 71

The first items in a list tend to elicit higher awareness and response frequencies

Front 72

Specificity

Back 72

Asking specific questions first tends to bias answers to later questions

Front 73

Funnel Technique

Back 73

Asking general questions before specific questions in order to reduce biased responses

Provides respondents a logical frame of reference

Enhances their ability to be consistent

Front 74

Filter Question

Back 74

Screens out respondents not qualitied to answer a subsequent question

Front 75

Pivot Question

Back 75

A type of filter question desinged to determine which version of a second question will be asked

Front 76

Layout Design

Back 76

Important - attractiveness, interest in responding and ease of use are important issues in questionnair design

Front 77

Layout Design of Self-administered Questionnaires

Back 77

In both mail and internet surveys layout helps the respondent to follow instructions and remain interested

Front 78

Layout Design of Personal and Telephone Interviews

Back 78

Layout enhances the ease and the accuracy and correctness of administration for the interviewer

Front 79

Telephone and Personal Interview Questionnaires -- Layout Principles

Back 79

1) Introduction
2) Motivation
3) Order Bias

Front 80

Telephone and Personal Interview Questionnaires -- Layout Principles: Introduction

Back 80

A well-crafted introduction is critical for measurement reliability

Front 81

Clarity

Back 81

Include clear instructions to the interviewer and a scripted opening introduction for the respondent stating the purpose and why their cooperation is important

Front 82

Boldface

Back 82

All instructions to the interviewer

Front 83

Arrows

Back 83

Guide the Interview from section to section

Front 84

Transitions

Back 84

Scripted explanatons to segues to a new topic

Front 85

Telephone and Personal Interview Questionnaires -- Layout Principles: Motivation

Back 85

Begin with appeal to importance of research, to the ego of respodnet, its social value etc

Front 86

Telephone and Personal Interview Questionnaires -- Layout Principles: Order Bias

Back 86

In the cas of lists, the start point should be randomized and indicated to the interview with a checkmark

Front 87

Mail Survey -- Layout Principles: Title and Introduction

Back 87

Craft a carefully worded title and beginning to appeal to importance of research, social value, ego of respondent

Front 88

Mail Survey -- Layout Principles: Instructions

Back 88

Should be clear, unambiguous, easy to follow

Front 89

Mail Survey -- Layout Principles: White Space

Back 89

Avoid jamming text -- leave wide margins and spacing between sections

Front 90

Mail Survey -- Layout Principles: Alignment

Back 90

Block questions and response alternatives in aligned, consistent columns with orderly margins

Front 91

Mail Survey -- Layout Principles: Length

Back 91

Try to make appear as compact as possible without sacrificing appearance

Front 92

Internet Surveys -- Layout Principles: Paging Layout

Back 92

Facilitates skip patterns in response to filter questions

Front 93

Internet Surveys -- Layout Principles: Scrolling Layout

Back 93

Enables respondents to view any portion of the questionnair but absence of page boundaries may cause difficulty seeing an entire list

Front 94

Internet Surveys -- Layout Principles: Push Buttons

Back 94

Respondents click on a rectangle or arrow to select an option or perform a function, such as "submit" -- should clearly describe the action to be taken

Front 95

Internet Surveys -- Layout Principles: Status Bar

Back 95

A visual indicator that tells the respondent what portion of the survey they have completed

Front 96

Internet Surveys -- Layout Principles: Radio Button

Back 96

A circular icon, resembling a button, that activates one response choice and deactivates others

Front 97

Internet Surveys -- Layout Principles: Drop-down Box

Back 97

A space-saving device that reeals responses when needed but otherwise hides them from view

Front 98

Internet Surveys -- Layout Principles: Check Box

Back 98

Small graphic box next to an answer; respondent clicks the box

Front 99

Internet Surveys -- Layout Principles: Open-ended Box

Back 99

Box for respondents to type answers to open-ended questions

Front 100

Internet Surveys -- Layout Principles: Pop-up Box

Back 100

Appears at selected points and contains information or instructions to respondnets; commonly used for error trapping

Front 101

Types of Software

Back 101

1) Variable Piping Software
2) Error Trapping Software
3) Forced Answering Software
4) Interactive Help Desk Software

Front 102

Variable Piping Software

Back 102

Allows variables to be inserted into an Internet questionnaire as a respondent is completing it

Front 103

Error Trapping Software

Back 103

Controls the flow of an internet questionnaire

Front 104

Forced Answering Software

Back 104

Prevents respondents from continuing if they fail to answer a question

Front 105

Interactive Help Desk Software

Back 105

Real-time support feature that solves problems or answers questions respondents may encounter

Front 106

Pretesting

Back 106

Questionnaires usually go through several revisions to "debug" difficult, ambiguous or biased questions

Front 107

What types of questions can be answered by pretesting?

Back 107

1) Can the questionnaire format be followed by the interviewers?
2) Does the questionnaire flow naturally and conersationally?
3) Can respondents answer the questions easily?
$) Which alternative forms of questions work best?