14-1

© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

McGraw-Hill/Irwin

Chapter 14Chapter 14

QuestionnairesQuestionnaires

andand

InstrumentsInstruments

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Learning Objectives

• Understand the link forged between the management dilemma and the communication instrument by the management-research question hierarchy

• Understand the influence of the communication method on instrument design

• Understand the three general classes of information and what each contributes to the instrument

14-3

Learning Objectives

• Understand the influence of question content, question wording, response strategy, and preliminary analysis planning on question construction

• Understand each of the numerous question design issues influencing instrument quality, reliability, and validity

• Understand the sources for measurement questions • Understand the importance of pretesting questions

and instruments

14-4

Exhibit 14-1 Overall Flowchart for Instrument Design

14-5

Exhibit 14-2 Phase 1

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Strategic Concerns in Instrument Design

What type of scale is needed?

What communication approach will be used?

Should the questions be structured?

Should the questioning be disguised?

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Technology Affects Questionnaire Development

• Write questionnaires more quickly

• Create visually driven instruments

• Eliminate manual data entry

• Save time in data analysis

WebSurveyor used to write an instrument.

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Disguising Study Objectives

Situations where

disguise is unnecessary

Situations where

disguise is unnecessary

Willingly shared,Conscious-level

information

Reluctantly shared,Conscious-level

information

Knowable,Limited-conscious-level information

Subconscious-level information

14-9

Exhibit 14-3 Dummy Table for American Eating Habits

Age

Use of Convenience Foods

__________________________________________________

Always UseUse

FrequentlyUse

Sometimes Rarely Use Never Use

18-24

25-34

35-44

55-64

65+

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Exhibit 14-4 Phase 2

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Question Categories and Structure

Administrative

Classification

Target

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Question Content

Should this question be asked?

Is the question of proper scope and coverage?

Can the participant adequately answer this question as asked?

Will the participant willingly answer this question as asked?

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Question Wording

CriteriaCriteria

Shared vocabulary Single

meaning

Misleading assumptions

Adequate alternatives

Personalized

Biased

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Response Strategy

Factors Factors

Objectives of the study

Participant’s level of

information

Degree to which participants have

thought through topic

Ease and clarity with which participant communicates

Participant’s motivation to

share

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Free-Response Strategy

What factors influenced your enrollment in Metro U?________________________________________________________________________________________

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Dichotomous Response Strategy

Did you attend the A Day at College program at Metro U?

YesNo

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Multiple Choice Response Strategy

Which one of the following factors was most influentialin your decision to attend Metro U?

Good academic standingSpecific program of study desiredEnjoyable campus lifeMany friends from homeHigh quality of faculty

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Checklist Response Strategy

Which of the following factors influencedyour decision to enroll in Metro U? Check all that apply.

Tuition costSpecific program of study desiredParents’ preferencesOpinion of brother or sisterMany friends from home attendHigh quality of faculty

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Rating Response Strategy

Strongly influential

Somewhat influential

Not at all

influential

Good academic reputation

Enjoyable campus life

Many friends

High quality faculty

Semester calendar

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Ranking

Please rank-order your top three factorsFrom the following list based on their Influence in encouraging you to apply to Metro U.Use 1 to indicate the most encouraging factor,2 the next most encouraging factor, etc.

_____ Opportunity to play collegiate sports_____ Closeness to home_____ Enjoyable campus life_____ Good academic reputation_____ High quality of faculty

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Exhibit 14-7 Characteristics of Response Strategies

Characteristic DichotomousMultipleChoice Checklist Rating

RankOrdering

FreeResponse

Type of Scale Nominal Nominal, ordinal, or ratio

Nominal Ordinal or interval

Ordinal Nominal or ratio

Usual Number of Answer Alternatives Provided

2 3 to 10 10 or fewer 3 to 7 10 or fewer None

Desired Number of Participant Answers

1 1 10 or fewer 1 per item 7 or fewer 1

Used to Provide...

Classification Classification, order, or specific numerical estimate

Classification Order or distance

Order Classification(of idea), order, or specific numerical estimate

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Exhibit 14-6 Internet Survey Response Options

14-23

Exhibit 14-6 continued

14-24

Exhibit 14-6 continued

14-25

Exhibit 14-8 Sources of Questions

• Handbook of Marketing Scales

• The Gallup Poll Cumulative Index

• Measures of Personality and Social-Psychological Attitudes

• Measures of Political Attitudes

• Index to International Public Opinion

• Sourcebook of Harris National Surveys

• Marketing Scales Handbook

• American Social Attitudes Data Sourcebook

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Exhibit 14-8 Web Sources of Questions

• Interuniversity Consortium for Political and Social Research

• iPoll

• Online Survey Research/ Public Opinion Centers

• Survey Research Library, Florida State University

• The Odum Institute

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Exhibit 14-9 Phase 3

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Guidelines for Question Sequencing

Interesting topics earlyInteresting topics early

Classification questions laterClassification questions later

Sensitive questions laterSensitive questions later

Simple items earlySimple items early

Transition between topicsTransition between topics

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Illustrating the Funnel Approach

• How do you think this country is getting along in its relations with other countries?

• How do you think we are doing in our relations with Iran?

• Do you think we ought to be dealing with Iran differently than we are now?

• (If yes) What should we be doing differently?• Some people say we should get tougher with

Iran and others think we are too tough as it is; how do you feel about it?

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Branching Question

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Exhibit 14-10 Components of Questionnaire

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Overcoming Instrument Problems

Build rapportBuild rapport

Redesign question processRedesign question process

Explore alternativesExplore alternatives

Use other methodsUse other methods

PretestPretest

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MindWriter Survey

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Key Terms

• Administrative question• Branched question• Buffer question• Checklist• Classification question• Dichotomous question

• Disguised question• Double-barreled question • Free-response question• Interview schedule• Leading question• Multiple-choice question

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Key Terms

• Pretesting• Primacy effect• Ranking question• Rating question• Recency effort

• Screen question• Structured response• Target question

– Structured– Unstructured

• Unstructured response