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Survey Research (調查研究 )

Social Research Methods

2217 & 6501

Fall, 2006

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Part II. Constructing the Questionnaire (Continued)

wording issues questionnaire design issues

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Wording Issues (用字遣詞的考量 ) Two wording issues:

Use simple vocabulary and grammar (使用簡單的字彙與文法 )

Effects of specific words or phrases (特殊詞彙的影響 )

Wording effects Avoid certain words Be aware of minor wording changes

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Questionnaire Design Issues: Length of Survey or Questionnaire Length of Survey or Questionnaire

No absolute proper length The length depends on the survey format and on

the respondent’s characteristics For students’ projects: ~10 pp.

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Questionnaire Design Issues: Question Order (問題順序 ) Organization of Questionnaire

Remember: minimize the discomfort and confusion of respondents

The opening section: easy and interesting questions first

Background questions usually in the ending section

Put questions on the same topic together Question topics flow smoothly and logically Always end with a “thank you”

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Questionnaire Design Issues: Question Order Order Effects (順序效應 ):

Order effects strongest for people who lack strong views, less educated, older respondents or those with memory loss (對立場不堅定、教育程度愈低、年紀愈大、記憶力差的人影響越大 )

Respondents will be affected by the set of issues and order of question presentation in questionnaires

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Questionnaire Design Issues: Question Order Context Effects (脈絡效應 )

Context includes question order, the effects of the interviewer, interviewing setting, etc.

Evident in mail surveys Can do two things:

Use a funnel sequence (from general to specific questions)

Test the question order Respondents answer questions based on a conte

xt of preceding questions and the interview setting. (前面的問題可作為回答後面問題的脈絡基礎 ) The more ambiguous a question’s meaning, the stronger

the context effects.

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Question Design Issues: Format and Layout (格式與設計 ) Questionnaire layout

Questionnaire should be clear, neat, and easy to follow

Have a cover sheet: for administrative use Give respondents instructions

Instructions in different color or font Layout is crucial for self-administered or mail

surveys Details matters

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Question Design Issues: Format and Layout Question format

Make responses unambiguous: boxes, brackets, or numbers

Arrows or instructions for contingency questions Use matrix questions (矩陣式問項 )

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Question Design Issues: Format and Layout

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Questionnaire Design Issues: Nonresponse (未作答或拒答 ) Nonresponse is a major problem for survey researc

h. The issue of representativeness Nonresponse in most academic surveys: 25-33%

Five types of nonresponse: nonlocation, noncontact, ineligible, refusal to participate, incomplete participation

Some techniques to reduce nonresponse Reduce each type of nonresponse Initial contact critical Use incentives tailoring

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Part III. Types of Surveys: Advantages and disadvantages

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Mail and Self-Administered Questionnaires (郵寄與自填式問卷 )Advantages The cheapest Cover a wide

geographical area Convenient for

respondents Offer anonymity and

avoid interviewer bias effective

Disadvantages A low response rate Do not know the

conditions under which a mail questionnaire is completed

Cannot observe respondents’ reactions, characteristics, or settings

Some types of questions are not ideal

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Web Survey: over the Internet or by emailAdvantages Very fast and

inexpensive Allow flexible design

and use visual image Principles of paper

questionnaire generally apply

efficiency

Disadvantages Coverage: sampling

issues Privacy and verification

Technological fixes Design issues

Various software and hardware combination

Screen-by-screen questions

A progress indicator Provide instructions

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Telephone Interviews (電話訪談 )Advantages A popular survey

method: quickly reach people across long distances

Flexible, cost lower than face-to-face interviews

Computer-assisted technologies: CATI & IVR

Disadvantages Relatively high cost and

limited interview legnth Cannot reach people wi

thout phones Possible interviewer bia

s Some questions cannot

be used Only notice serious disr

uptions

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Face-to-Face Interviews (面對面訪談 )Advantages Have the highest

response rates Permit the longest

questionnaire Can observe the

surroundings and use nonverbal communication and visual aids

Interviewers can ask complex questions and probes

Disadvantages High cost Interviewer bias

greatest Interviewer supervision

is less

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Interviewing (訪談 ) The role of the interviewer: difficult

Survey interviewing is special Nonjudgmental and do not reveal their opinions Provide human warmth, sense of trust, and rappor

t Stages of an interview

Asking questions by following the exact wording Recording answers verbatim: never summarizes o

r paraphrases Use probes (追問 : 中性的要求 ) effectively

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Interviewing—interviewer bias (訪員偏差 ) Training interviewers Interviewer bias: concerning the issue of

standardization Factors affecting interviewer bias

Interviewer expectations Interviewers’ visible characteristics (race and

gender)

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Cultural Meanings and Survey Interviews The concern: how people create social

meanings and cultural understanding? Reconsider naïve assumption model of

survey interviews (pp. 310-311) Remember a survey interview ≠ordinary

conversation The standardization of survey research: the

construction of a shared meaning among different people

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Pilot Testing

Pilot-testing survey interviews and questionnaires before implementation

The purpose: to improve questionnaire design (see pp. 312) Cognitive interviewing

Pre-test your questionnaire!

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The Ethical Survey (合乎研究倫理的調查 ) The invasion of privacy

Provide mutual trust and confidentiality Voluntary participation The exploitation of surveys and pseudosurve

ys Misuse survey results or use poorly designed

surveys Poor media reports

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Summary: Survey research is complicated and requires great knowledge, planning, and skills

work hard to minimize errors be careful in analyzing data and generalizing results