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How to Ask Survey Questions
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How to Ask Survey Questions

Second Edition

October 2002 | 160 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc

"I am truly amazed at how complete this booklet is. What a wealth of material to help in developing questions!"

--Bonnie Rader, California State University, Long Beach

Aimed at helping readers prepare and use reliable and valid survey questions, How to Ask Survey Questions, 2nd shows readers how to do the following:

* Ask valid and reliable questions for the context

* Determine whether to use open or closed questions

* Choose the right type of measurement (categorical, nominal or ordinal) for responses to survey questions

* Ask questions that get at attitude, behavior, and knowledge

* Develop factorial, conjoint and Internet survey questions

New to this edition is coverage of focus group questions, the characteristics and uses of factorial questions and conjoint analysis questions, and the principles underlying Internet survey questions.


 
How to Ask Survey Questions: Learning Objectives
 
Ch 1. Asking Questions: A Matter of Context
Checklist for Deciding the Survey's Context

 
Guidelines for Asking Survey Questions

 
Guidelines for Using Conventional Language When Asking Survey Questions

 
 
Ch 2. Keep Questions Closed or Open them Up?
Open-Ended Questions

 
Closed or Closed-Ended Questions

 
Checklist for Deciding Between Open- and Closed-Ended Questions

 
 
Ch 3. Responses: Choices and Measurement
Response Choices

 
Categorical or Nominal Measures: How to Get Them

 
Categorical Responses and Who Is Eligible

 
Categorical Responses Are Exclusive

 
Categorical Responses Are Inclusive

 
Categorical Responses and Meaning

 
Questions With Ordered Responses: How to Get Ordinal Data Using Common Rating Scales

 
Guidelines for Asking Closed Questions and Determining Ordered Responses or Scales

 
Numerical Measures

 
 
Ch 4. Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior: Additional Tips for Creating Survey Questions
Feelings and Intensity: Getting at the Attitude

 
Recall and Time: Getting at Behavior

 
Regulating Difficulty and Threat: Getting at Knowledge

 
Demographics: Who Are the Respondents?

 
Age, Income, and Education

 
Guidelines for Asking Questions on Vital Statistics and Demographics

 
 
Ch 5. Special Survey Questions: Factorial, Conjoint, and Online
Facturial Survey Questions: Constant or Changeable Beliefs?

 
Guidelines for Creating Factorial Survey Questions

 
Conjoint Analysis Questions: Which Do You Prefer?

 
Online Survey Questions

 
Dropdown Lists

 
Select One

 
Check All That Apply

 
Several Questions With the Same Response Choices

 
Open-Ended Questions

 
 
Ch 6. Survey Question Techniques for the Survey Team: The Focus Group
Focus Group Questions

 
Checklist for Conducting a Focus Group

 
Checklist for a Good Focus Group Question Sequence

 
 
Exercises
 
Answers
 
Suggested Readings
 
Glossary
 
About the Author

"I am truly amazed at how complete this booklet is. What a wealth of material to help in developing questions!"

Bonnie Rader
California State University, Long Beach

For instructors

Select a Purchasing Option


Paperback
ISBN: 9780761925798
$95.00

This title is also available on SAGE Research Methods, the ultimate digital methods library. If your library doesn’t have access, ask your librarian to start a trial.