1 Questionnaire Design Clinic Spring 2010 Seminar Series Survey Research Laboratory University of Illinois

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Questionnaire Design Questionnaire Design ClinicClinic

Spring 2010 Seminar Series

Survey Research LaboratoryUniversity of Illinois

www.srl.uic.edu

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Survey Research Laboratory

Cognitive Steps in AnsweringCognitive Steps in Answering QuestionsQuestions

1. Understand question.2. Search memory for information.3. Integrate information into

summary judgment.4. Translate judgment onto response

alternatives.

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Survey Intro/Cover LetterSurvey Intro/Cover Letter

Introduction should indicate: who is conducting the survey the topics to be covered in the survey an assurance of confidentiality any IRB stipulations whether you offer how long it will

take depends on mode, topic, population

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Survey Intro/Cover Letter - Survey Intro/Cover Letter - exampleexample

The goal of this survey is to understand the patterns of interactions between the groups and individuals who will be attending ….. The results of this survey will be used in part for University of Illinois at Chicago research purposes. Ultimately, we hope to provide a visual representation of the social network structure of various interested parties in the ____________ region. By completing this survey, you are agreeing to participate in the research.

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Cover letter - exampleCover letter - example

The Department of _________at the University of Illinois at Chicago, is conducting to understand the patterns of interactions between the groups and individuals ….… The research team is headed by…

You are receiving this questionnaire because you are . . . It should take you about 10 minutes to complete the questionnaire. Please respond by August 1.

Participation in this survey is voluntary, and you may choose to stop answering questions at any time. Your choice to participate or not will have no effect on your course grade or on your relation with the University of Illinois. Your response is anonymous as we will not be asking for any personally identifying information – please do not write your name anywhere on this questionnaire.

We plan to use the results of this survey in part for University of Illinois at Chicago research purposes. Ultimately, we hope to provide a visual representation of the social network structure of various interested parties in the Calumet region.……. Only aggregated results will be presented.

Completing this questionnaire indicates your consent to participate in the survey.

Please contact ________ if you have any questions. If you have any questions about your rights as a research participant, please contact the IRB (OPRS) at….

Thank you for your participation!

NamesAffiliationEmail / phone number

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Ordering the QuestionsOrdering the Questions

First questions should be directly related to the topic as described in the introduction or advance/cover letter

Put demographic questions at the end

Leave objectionable questions (e.g., income) for the end

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Characteristics of a good questionCharacteristics of a good question

One that yields a truthful, accurate answer

One that asks for one answer on one dimension

One that accommodates all possible contingencies of response

One that uses specific, simple language One that produces variability in

response One that minimizes social desirability One that is pretested

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Acquiescence - exampleAcquiescence - example

Would you be interested in learning about courses from the past experiences of other students who have taken them?

• Yes• No

Do you feel ready to apply what you have learned today?

• Yes• No

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Administrators (e.g., principal, assistant principal, dean of students ) at this school ………………

a. Collaborate with faculty and staff to make the school run effectively.

• Strongly Agree, Agree, Neutral, Disagree, Strongly Disagree

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Form A (agree I’s version):Individuals are more to blame than social conditions for crime and lawlessness in this country.

Form A (Agree I’s) Agree (I): 59.6%

Disagree (SC): 40.4 100 (473)

Form B (agree SCs version):Social conditions are more to blame than individuals for crime and lawlessness inthis country.

Form B (Agree SCs) Agree (SC): 56.8%

Disagree (I):43.2 100 (472)

AcquiescenceAcquiescence

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Do you feel ready to apply what you have learned today?

• Yes• No

Do you feel ready to apply what you have learned today, or do you not feel ready to do that?

• Feel ready• Do not feel ready


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Would you be interested in learning about courses from the past experiences of other students who have taken them?

• Yes• No

How interested are you in learning about courses from the past experiences of other students who have taken them?

• Not at all interested, Slightly interested, Moderately interested, Very interested, Extremely interested


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Administrators (e.g., principal, assistant principal, dean of students ) at this school collaborate with faculty and staff to make the school run effectively.

Strongly Agree, Agree, Neutral, Disagree, Strongly Disagree

Characteristics of a good question - Characteristics of a good question - exampleexample

How well do administrators (e.g., principal, assistant principal, dean of students ) at this school collaborate with faculty and staff to make the school run effectively? Not well at all, Slightly well, Moderately well, Very well, Extremely well

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One that uses specific, simple language One that accommodates all possible

contingencies of response One that produces variability in


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The instructor was able to answer questions clearly and concisely in this course.

Participants materials (high quality; easy to follow; helpful, etc)


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Indicate how the amount of use of the following types of classroom assessment have changed in your classroomAssessment during instruction to determine:degree of comprehension on part of an individual student…..


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Has your use of the following types of assessments increased, decreased or stayed the same?

Assessment during instruction to find out how well a

student has understood the material…..


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How often do you get in touch with your academic advisor in the Department of Communication?

• Never• Once a school year or less often• Once a semester • Multiple times a semester or more often • In emergencies only

How often do you go talk with your academic advisor in the Department of Communication?

Multiple times a semester Once a semester Once a school year For emergencies only


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Preferable to test the questionnaires with people like those in your main study population

Test in same mode to be used for the study

Consider cognitive pretesting

PretestingPretesting

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Other characteristics of a good Other characteristics of a good questionquestion

Specify who, what, when, where and how.

Over what period of time? What’s included?

Provide cues

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Does this table of contents cover recent developments? Does this table of contents cover recent research / topics in this field, or

does it not?

How many people live in your household? How many people live in your household?

Please include yourself in the count, and also those who people who live with you but are away temporarily. Don’t forget to count any babies and children.

How many years have you been enrolled in a college or University? Not counting summers, for how many years have you been enrolled as a

student in a college or university?

Please count each year that you were enrolled even if these are not consecutive years.

Other characteristics of a good Other characteristics of a good question - examplequestion - example

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Open vs. Closed QuestionsOpen vs. Closed Questions

Closed questions are usually better Easier for the respondent Less coding later Better to have respondent do

categorizing Categories help define the

question

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What grade level(s) have you worked with in the past 12 months? (e.g., 6th, 7th, 8th) _________________

Which grade level(s) have you worked with in the past 12 months? (please select all that apply).

Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8

How often do you send text messages? _________________

How often do you send text messages? You can answer in any of the three different ways below, whichever one would be most accurate for

you. You can tell us how many times per DAY you send text messages, or how many times per WEEK

you send text messages, or how many times per MONTH you send text messages.

Open vs. Closed Questions - Open vs. Closed Questions - exampleexample

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Disadvantages of Disadvantages of Closed QuestionsClosed Questions

Categories may be leading to respondents

May make it too easy to answer without thinking

May limit spontaneity Not best when

asking for frequency of sensitive behaviors

there are numerous possible responses• role of initial question development and

pretesting

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Response OptionsResponse Options

Response categories should be consistent with the question

Categories should typically be exhaustive, including every possible answer

Categories should be mutually exclusive

“Don’t know” category usually not appropriate knowledge questions

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Did the facilitator have a thorough understanding of the subject matter?Very Poor, Needs Improvement, Okay, Good, Excellent

How good or bad was the facilitator’sunderstanding of the subject matter?

Extremely good, Somewhat good, Neither good nor bad, Somewhat bad , Extremely bad

Response Options - exampleResponse Options - example

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Please indicate below which of the following organizations you interact with on a regular basis. Please check all that apply.

Response Options - exampleResponse Options - example

How often do you exchange ideas or advice with members of each of the following organizations?Organization A: Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Very Often, Extremely OftenOrganization B: Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Very Often, Extremely Often

Do you have at least one personal friend in each of the following organizations, or do you not?Organization A: Have, Do not haveOrganization B: Have, Do not have

Organization A• I regularly exchange ideas or advice with members of this organization.• I regularly collaborate on projects with members of this organization.• I have personal friends in this organization.• I provide funding or receive funding from this organization.

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5-7 response options

General guidelines• number of scale points (sensitivity vs.

meaning)• labeling of scale points

Response OptionsResponse Options

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How would you rate the instructor’s ability to explain the material in this course?Extremely poor, Somewhat poor, Fair, Somewhat good, Extremely good (or Excellent)

Response Option Labels - Response Option Labels - exampleexample

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Physical Format ChecklistPhysical Format Checklist

Number all questions sequentially

Use large, clear type; don’t crowd

‘White space:’ Place more blank space between questions than between subcomponents of questions

List answer categories vertically instead of horizontally

Avoid double/triple ‘banking’ of response choices

Be consistent with direction of response categories

Be consistent with placement of response categories

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Physical Format Checklist (continued)Physical Format Checklist (continued)

Don’t split questions across pages. If necessary (e.g., question requires 1.5 pages), restate question and response categories on next page

Put special instructions on questionnaire as needed, next to question

Distinguish directions from questions – be consistent

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Key References To Get StartedKey References To Get Started

Dillman, Don. Mail and Internet Surveys: The Tailored Design Method. New York: John, Wiley & Sons, Inc, 1999.

Bradburn, N, Sudman, S. and Wansink, B. Asking Questions: The Definitive Guide to Questionnaire design – for Market Research, Political Polls, and Social and Health Questionnaires. San Francisco: Jossey Bass, 2004.

See also past issues of Public Opinion Quarterly

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Other ReferencesOther References

Schuman, H., & Presser, S. (1981). Questions and answers in attitude surveys. New York: Academic Press.

Krosnick, J.A., Holbrook, A. L., Berent, M. K., Carson, R. T., Hanemann, W. M., Kopp, R. J., Mitchell, R. C., et al. (2002). The impact of "No Opinion" response options on data quality: Non-attitude reduction or an invitation to satisfice? Public Opinion Quarterly, 66, 371–403.

Saris, W. E., Krosnick, J. A., & Schaeffer, E. M. (2005). Comparing questions with agree/disagree response options to questions with construct-specific response options.Unpublished manuscript, Political, Social, Cultural Sciences, University of Amsterdam.

Documents

1 Questionnaire Design Clinic Spring 2010 Seminar Series Survey Research Laboratory University of Illinois