Jac Methods Ch14

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Chapter 14Questionnaire

Development

Winston Jackson and Norine Verberg

Methods: Doing Social Research, 4e


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14-22007 Pearson Education Canada

Questionnaire Design

Questionnaires have many applications and

are widely used

The textbook covers:

General guidelines

Types of questions illustrated

Steps and rules for questionnaire design

Rules for ordering, formatting, and presenting


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General Guidelines

Consult the respondent

Able to express opinion freely, opinions valued

Keep it short

Ask only pertinent questions

Achieve precise measurement

Collect data in its rawest form (income in

dollars, precise occupation, age to the year,not age category)

highest level of measurement possible


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Types of Questions Illustrated

1. Pre-coded, single-choice questions

2. Open-ended questions

3. Presence-absence questions

4. Rank-ordering questions

5. Likert-type questions

6. Index development


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Types: Pre-Coded, Single-Choice

Pre-coded, single-choice questions askrespondents to indicate which one categoryapplies

Answers are pre-coded for easy data entry If not all options can be listed, include a

category entitled Other with a space toindicate what the Other category implies

Please specify ______________ Categories should be mutually-exclusive

i.e., no categories overlap with one another


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Pre-Coded, Single-Choice: Example

4. What year are you in?

Freshman 1

Sophomore 2

Junior 3

Senior 4

See Box 14.1 (p.383) for more examples


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Types: Open-Ended Questions

Open-ended questions do not have pre-setanswers. Excellent way to explore new areas

Use open-ended questions when:

Too many response categories (year of birth) You dont wish to impose categories on

respondents

Really consulting respondents

Qualitative source of quotations Determining appropriate categorization

You want a change in pace for respondents


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Open-Ended: Example

21. What is (or was) your fathers occupation (e.g.,

supervisor, railway machine shop supervises work of

about 25 people)?

Job ________________________________________

Brief Job Description _____________________________________________________________________

23. What is the one thing you would like to see changed

at the university?

________________________________________________________________________________________

More examples in Box 14.3 on page 385


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Open-Ended: Caution

Minimize the number of open-ended questionsbecause they:

Are time-consuming to code

May generate responses that are inconsistentAre more likely to be left blank

May decrease response rate

Takes more time to complete the questionnaire

Use opinion-seeking questions sparingly

Place open-ended questions at 2/3 mark


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Types: Presence-Absence Questions

Presence-absence questions ask

respondents to check off which items in a list

do or do not apply to them

Less commonly used than other types ofquestions


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Presence-Absence: Example

23. Have you ever had contact with a physically

handicapped person in any of these groups? (Circle

to indicate yes or no for each group)

Yes NoCommunity ----------- 1 0

Family ----------------- 1 0

Relatives -------------- 1 0

Elementary school -- 1 0

High school ----------- 1 0

University class ------ 1 0

As a co-worker------- 1 0


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Types: Rank-Ordering Questions

Rank-order questions ask respondents to

indicate an ordering of response items,

usually from most preferred to least preferred

Must be done with great care

Ask for only three most important items

Must make instructions explicit

These types of questions should be avoidedor minimized because they take time


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Rank-Ordering Questions: Example

31. Rank-order the three most important characteristics you

want in the job you make your lifes work. (Place a 1

beside the most important one; a 2 beside the second

most important one; and a 3 beside the next most

important one.)

High salary.. ____

Security... ____

Continued interest..____

Power.. ____Prestige ____

Excitement..____


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Types: Likert-Type Questions

Likert-type questions ask respondents toindicate how much they agree or disagreewith a statement

Response options originally included: stronglydisagree, disagree, are undecided or neutral,agree, strongly agree

Today often used with numbered response

options (see example, next slide) Used in the development of indexes (see

Chapter13)


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Likert-Type Questions: Example

In the following, circle a number to indicate the extent to

which you agree or disagree with each statement:

52.I believe capital punishment represents the most effective

deterrent to murder.

Strongly disagree 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Strongly agree

53.I believe a murderer can be rehabilitated to become a

resonsible, functioning member of society.

Strongly disagree1

2

3

45 6

7

8

9Strongly agree

54.I believe a life sentence is a satisfactory penalty for

murder.

Strongly disagree 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Strongly agree


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Tips for Likert-Style Questions

1. Avoid the word and Makes the questions multidimensional

2. Always place strongly agree on right side,

with 9 indicating strong agreement Response set, a situation in which the respondent

answers similarly to all answers, is best avoidedby wording some statements positively, othersnegatively

3. Avoid negatives that can confuserespondents Use direct negative statements


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Tips for Likert-Style Questions

(contd)4. Vary strength of wording to produce

variation in response

1. The nursing care I received was good.

2. The nursing care I received was perfect in

every instance

5. Before the first Likert-type item, provide a

brief explanation of how respondents are to

to indicate their answers


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Steps in Questionnaire Development

1. Make a list of variables. Usually includes:1. Background variables

2. Dependent variable(s)

3. Independent variables4. Others: intervening, antecedent, spurious

2. Anticipate how data will be analyzed Procedures depend on level of measurement

3. Write the proposed questions on index cards Facilitates editing and re-arranging order

4. Double check: do you have all thevariables?


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Steps (contd)

5. Review the conceptual definitions of

variables

Done in anticipation of step 6 - developing

the wording

Example: how to measure socioeconomic

status?

As reflecting various levels of respect and

prestige: use Pineo and Porters scale ofoccupational prestige to measure SES

As reflecting variation in access to scarce

resources: use total income to measure SES


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Steps (contd)

6. Develop wordings for questions

After considering the conceptual definition,also:

Use simple words: Grade 7 or8 level Avoid and: make sure only one question

Vary wording to produce variation in replies

Avoid complexity make it simple

Use existing wording if comparative study

Take the edge off sensitive questions

Be precise, highly specific when choosingwordings


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Steps (contd)

7. Pre-test the questionnaire Start by filling out the survey yourself, then ask

individuals to do so

Ask for feedback on the questionnaire Is it too long? Any problem with wording?

8. Pilot study Send questionnaire to a small sample of

respondents

Use data to determine which items will be used forindexes, modify unclear questions, create pre-coded, single-choice questions based on responsesto open-ended questions


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Ordering the Questions

Use a brief statement to introduce the surveyto the respondent re: legitimacy of study

Say who is conducting/sponsoring the study

Assure confidentiality and anonymity Ease them into it

Place easy to answer/salient questions at thebeginning

Place key and repeated questions at 1/3 point Group questions by type

E.g., put Likert-type questions together


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Formatting the Questions

Begin conditioning respondents

E.g., have consistent formatting so respondents can get

used to how to answer (format types shown in next two

slides)

Anticipate computer data entry

Pre-code questions before data collection

Vary placement of response categories

Response options are appealing and easy to understand

Clearly indicate branching (shown on slide 14-26)

Clear respondents away from irrelevant questions

Make it easy to fill out; will increase response rate


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FourFormat Styles Illustrated

1. Babbie Format Style for Fixed-Choice Responses:

23. Have you ever smoked marijuana?

[ ] Yes

[ ] No

2. Dillman Format Style for Fixed-Choice Responses:

Q-22 Your Sex (Circle number of your answer)

1 MALE

2 FEMALE

Sources:Earl Babbie (1992) The Practice of Social Research, 6th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing

Company. p.155.

Don A. Dillman (1978).Mail andTelephone Surveys: the Total Design Method. New York: John Wileyand Sons. p.134.


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FourFormat Styles Illustrated

3. Krahn Format Style for Fixed-Choice Responses:

54. In the past year, has any member of your

immediate family (not counting yourself) been

unemployed (out of work and not looking for work)?

No 1

Yes 2

4. Jackson Format Style for Fixed-Choice Responses:

4. What year are you in?

Freshman ------------- 1

Sophomore ----------- 2

Junior------------------ 3

Senior----------------- 4Sources:

Harvey Krahn (1991). Sociological Methods of Research. In Lorne Tepperman and R. JackRichardson, eds., The Social World: An Introduction to Sociology. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson.p. 51.

Winston Jackson (1995).Methods: Doing Social Research. Toronto: Prentice Hall. p.388.


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Branching Question Illustrated


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Presentation of Questionnaire

Have a distinctive look

E.g., coloured paper, graphics for questions is

appealing

Can increase the appeal of doing thequestionnaire

Dont squeeze too much onto one page

Crowding questions on a page can make the

questionnaire appear too long

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Jac Methods Ch14