Week 5, Unit 1 Questionnaires and Structured Interviews

7/27/2019 Week 5, Unit 1 Questionnaires and Structured Interviews

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Questionnaires and

Structured Interviews

Chapter 9


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Introduction

Questionnaires and structured interviews

are the two most widely used methods of data

collection in social science research.


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Introduction

Questionnaire

A data collection instrument with questions

and statements that are designed to solicit

information from respondents


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Introduction

Structured interview

A data collection method in which an

interviewer reads a standardized list of

questions to the respondent and records therespondents answers


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Introduction

Survey

A study in which the same data are collected from

all members of the sample

Usually in the form of answers to questions Often use large probability samples and cross-

sectional study design


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Introduction

Respondents

The participant in a survey who completes a

questionnaire or interview


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Introduction

Self-report method

Another name for questionnaires and interviews

because respondents are most often asked to report

their own characteristics, behaviors, and attitudes.


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The Uses of Questionnaires and

Interviews

Questions can be asked about a variety of topics

It is common to use the self-report method to gather

information on attitudes, beliefs, values, goals, and

expectations

Questions can also be used to gather a persons

level of knowledge on something or behavior


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Introduction

Stop and Think

The surveys by Public Agenda and Pew

focused on attitudes towards national energy

policies and health care, respectively. Suggest a list of other topics that you think you

could ask questions about using a questionnaire.

Would you be concerned about the accuracy of

the answers on any of these topics?


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Focal Research

Environmentalism Among College Students:A Sociological Investigationby Brandon Langand Christopher W. Podeschi

Asked college students questions aboutenvironmental issues

Interested in whether the students attitudeswere connected to some backgroundcharacteristics and to behavior patterns

Descriptive and explanatory purposes


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Focal Research

Ethics

The researchers submitted a proposal to their

universitys Institutional Review Board (IRB)

where it was approved. The respondents were informed about the

studys sponsor, were assured that the

surveys were anonymous and that they could

skip any of the questions.


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Interviews


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Interviews

Although surveys are widely used there are

important concerns about theirvalidity

When using self-report methods it is basedon the implicit assumption that people have

the information being asked and they will

answer based on their core beliefs and

values


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Interviews

Answers to questions may be compromised if the

participants

Do not understand

Do not take the time to adequately answer thequestion

Influenced by current mood, events, etc.

For example, research has shown that people who are

in more positive moods answer more favorablycompared to those who are feeling more negative

(Martin, Abend, Sedikes, & Green, 1997)


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Interviews

Measurement error

Error that occurs when the measurement we

obtain is not an accurate portrayal of what we

tried to measure The giving of inaccurate answers to the

questions


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Interviews

Measurement error may also be affected by question wording

respondents level of knowledge on the topic

whether or not the respondent has an opinion about

the topic respondent having an accurate memory

respondent wanting to present a good image


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Participant Involvement

Response rate

The percentage of the sample contacted that

actually participates in a study


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Response rate is affected by

The number of people who cannot be

reached for the study (noncontacts)

The number who choose not to participate(refusals)

The number who are incapable of performing

the tasks required of them

For example, due to illness or language barriers


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Nonresponse error

Results from differences between nonresponders andresponders to a survey


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When participants and nonparticipants differ

in social characteristics, opinions, attitudes,

values, or behavior then generalization to a

larger population is much more difficult Some researchers have questioned whether

higher rates of refusal automatically means

more bias


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Participation in studies can best beunderstood within a social exchange context.

Social exchange means a cost/benefitapproach

Once potential sample members arecontacted, they must decide aboutcooperation after thinking about the costs andbenefits.


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Respondents are asked to give up their time, engage

in interactions controlled by the interviewer, think

about issues or topics that might cause discomfort,

and take the risk of being asked to reveal

embarrassing information.

Potential participants might worry about privacy and

lack of control over the information


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Conversely, participants might want to

participate because of an interest in a topic, a

desire to share their views, or knowledge that

their information will be useful to science andsociety


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Participant involvement

Possible ways to increase participant rates

Advance mailings

Incentives

Giving small gifts Token cash payments

Focusing on the interesting aspects of participation

Re-contacting participants to encourage participation

Minimize the costs of participation For example, time and possible embarrassment


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Self-Administered Questionnaires

Self-administered questionnaires

A questionnaire that the respondent completes by him orherself

Can be written or web-based survey


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Interview

A data collection method in which respondents answerquestions asked by an interviewer

Can be done by phone or in person


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Group-administered questionnaires

Questions administered to respondents in a group setting


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Advantages

Allows the researcher to explain the instructions and

answer questions.

Provides the researcher some control over the

setting in which the questionnaire is completed

Allows the respondents to participate anonymously

Helps in getting honest answers to sensitive questions

Usually results in a good response rate

Inexpensive


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Disadvantages

There might be no group setting for the

population the researcher wants to study A group setting might raise concerns over the

violation of voluntary participation

Groups typically have limits for the amount of

time they spend on a survey


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Mailed questionnaires

Questionnaires mailed to the respondents residence or

workplace


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A questionnaire can be individually administered oradministered as an Internet questionnaire

An individually administered questionnaire ishand delivered to the respondent and picked up after

completion Similar to using mailed questions, but the expense is

higher and has a better response rate


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An internet questionnaire is sent by e-mailor posted on a website


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Coverage error

A sampling error that arises when the

sampling frame is different from the intended

population


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Cover letter

The letter accompanying a questionnaire that

explains the research and invites participation


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Interviews

Structured interview

Interviewer reads a standardized set of questions

and the response option for closed-ended

questions. The interview has some similarities to a

conversation, except that the interviewer

controls the topic, asks the questions, and does

not share experiences or opinions.


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Interviews

The set of instructions to the interviewer, the

list of questions, and the answer categories

make up the interview schedule

The use of structured interviews allows forsome flexibility in administration, clarification

of questions, and the use of follow-up

questions.


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Interviews

Interviews typically have good response rates

Interviews are more expensive than questionnaires,

because interviewers have to be hired and trained.

Using an interviewer adds the potential of

interviewer effect, or the changes in respondents

behaviors or answers that result from some aspect of

the interview situation


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Interviews

In-person interviews

The dominant mode of data collection from 1940 to 1970.

An in-person interview is conducted face to face.

In-person interviews are a good choice for questions

involving complex reports of behavior, for groups difficult toreach by phone, or for respondents who need to seematerial or to consult records as part of the data collection,or when the interview is long, and high response rates areessential.


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Interviews

In-person interviews

Rapport

A sense of interpersonal harmony, connection, or

compatibility between an interviewer and arespondent


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Interviews

Phone interviews

The dominant mode of survey data collection since the

1970s

Preferred because it can yield close to the same results as

an in-person interview at half the cost

Good for people who feel too busy for face-to-face

interviews

New technology allows makes it cost effective to do

computer-assisted telephone interviews in which data arecollected, stored, and transmitted during the interview


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Constructing Questions

Types of questions

Open-ended questions

Questions that allows respondents to answer in

their own words


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Types of questions

Closed-ended questions

Questions that include a list of predetermined

answers Answer categories must be exhaustive and mutually

exclusive


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Types of Questions

Deciding whether to use open- or closed-ended questions involves several issues.

Answer choices can provide a context for the

question, they can make the completion andcoding of questionnaires and interviews easier.

Respondent might not find the response that bestfits what they want to say, and answer categoriescan be interpreted differently by differentrespondents.


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Types of questions

Open-ended questions

All open-ended responses must be categorized

before the researcher does statistical analysis A limited number of answer categories must first

be created for each question, so the data may be

coded


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Types of questions

Coding

The process of assigning data to categories

Coding is a time consuming and expensive task thatcan result in the loss of data richness.


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Types of questions

Screening questions

Question that asks for information before asking the

question of interest Example

Have you applied to a graduate or professional program?

Yes or No

If yes, please list the program(s)

Example

It is important to ask someone if they voted in November,

before asking whom they voted for.


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Types of questions

A screening question is often followed with a

contingency question

A contingency question A question that depends on the answer to the

previous question.

Example

If yes, go to question #___ Example

Do you work for pay outside the home? If yes, how

many hours per week are you employed?


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Types of questions

Occasionally researchers use indirect questions, where

the link between the information the information

desired and the question is not obvious

This is done by creating scenarios orvignettes aboutpeople or situations that the researcher creates to use

as part of the data collection method.


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How to ask questions

Keep the questionnaire or interview as short as

possible

Only the necessary questions planned for dataanalysis should be asked

A preliminary draft orpilot test should be used

with a small sample

A pilot test is a preliminary draft of a set of

questions that is tested before the actual data

collection.


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Avoid loaded words words that trigger an

emotional response or strong association by their

useAvoid ambiguous words words that can be

interpreted in more than one way

Dont use double negative questions questions

that can ask people to disagree with a negativequestion


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Dont use leading questions questions that

encourage the respondent to answer in a

certain way, typically by indicating which is theright or correct answer

Avoid threatening questions, or questions

that make respondents afraid or embarrassed

to give an honest answer


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Dont use double-barreled orcompound questions

questions that ask two or more questions in one

Ask question in the language of your respondents, using

the idioms and language appropriate to the samples levelof education, vocabulary of the region, etc.

Review Box 9.9

Examples of poorly worded questions and the suggested

revisions


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Question order & context

Responses to questions can be affected by the

question order as earlier questions provide a

context for later ones and people may try to be

consistent in their answers to questions on the

same topic.


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How to ask questions Question order & context

1. Consider a logical order that makes participationeasy

2. To encourage participation start with interesting, nothreatening questions, and save questions aboutsensitive topics for the middle or end

3. Conclude with cool down to minimize discomfortof participant


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Summary

Considerations when choosing a data

collection method


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QuizQuestion 1

Open-ended questions allow for respondents to

answer

a. in their own words.

b. according to pre-determined categories.c. as often as they wish.

d. skip contingency questions

e. none of the above


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QuizQuestion 2

If close-ended questions are used, it is

important that the responses are

a. mutually exclusive.

b. exhaustive.c. created by respondents.

d. a and b

e. All of the above


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QuizQuestion 3

Which type of survey tends to have the highest

response rate?

a. Mailed questionnaire

b. Phone interviewc. In-person interview

d. All three tend to yield high response rates

e. None of these yield high response rates

Documents

Week 5, Unit 1 Questionnaires and Structured Interviews