Deck 10: Surveyinterview Research Methods

Question 1

A data collection technique wherein individuals are asked to respond to questions or statements is called:

A) a survey.
B) an interview.
C) an experiment.
D) an instrument.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The survey question, ""Given that crime is such a serious problem in our community, would you agree that taxes should be raised to hire additional police officers?"" is poorly worded. What is the problem with this question?

A) It is a leading question.
B) it is double barreled.
C) It includes a prestige bias.
D) The respondents may not be informed enough to answer.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

The survey question, ""Do you think that C.O.P. is a promising crime control strategy in policing?"" is poorly worded. What is the problem with this question?

A) It includes jargon or uncommon abbreviations.
B) it is double barreled.
C) It includes a prestige bias.
D) The respondents may not be informed enough to answer.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

The survey question, ""In your opinion, should the state legislature increase criminal penalties and remove amenities like cable television from state prisons?"" is poorly worded. What is the problem with this question?

A) It includes jargon or uncommon abbreviations
B) It includes emotional language
C) it is double barreled
D) The respondents may not be informed enough to answer

Question 5

The survey question, Do you agree that murderers of children should receive the death penalty for their heinous crime? is poorly worded. What is the problem with this question?

A) It includes jargon or uncommon abbreviations.
B) It includes emotional language.
C) It includes a prestige bias.
D) It is a leading question.

Question 6

The survey question, ""Do you agree that murderers of children should receive the death penalty for their heinous crime?"" is poorly worded. What is the problem with this question?

A) It includes jargon or uncommon abbreviations.
B) It is a leading question.
C) it is double barreled.
D) The respondents may not be informed enough to answer.

Question 7

The survey question, ""Do you believe that children raised by single parents are more likely to commit crimes, as most experts would contend?"" is poorly worded. What is the problem with this question?

A) It includes jargon or uncommon abbreviations.
B) It includes emotional language.
C) The respondents may not be informed enough to answer.
D) It includes a prestige bias.

Question 8

The survey question, ""What is your age in years?"" would require what type of response set?

A) Direct
B) Open
C) Closed/Forced choice
D) Indirect

Question 9

The survey question, ""What is your race? (Circle one) Caucasian or White, African-American or Black, Asian or Pacific Islander, Native American, Other,"" would require what type of response set?

A) Direct
B) Open
C) Closed/Forced choice
D) Indirect

Question 10

A researcher develops a survey to measure citizens' perceptions of the police. In one segment of the survey, respondents are asked to indicate their level of agreement or disagreement with a series of statements about the police. Some statements are written so that respondents who perceive the police favorably will agree with the statement; others are written so that respondents who perceive the police favorably will disagree with the statement. In survey research, these opposite format question

A) annulments.
B) flip-flops.
C) negatives.
D) reversals.

Question 11

Where should questions about a respondent's age, race, and gender be placed in a survey?

A) At the beginning, so the respondents can get comfortable with the survey.
B) In the middle, so the respondents can rest before answering difficult questions.
C) At the end, so the respondents have easy questions to answer when they are tired.
D) It does not matter where these questions are placed.

Question 12

Which of the following statements about survey length is most accurate?

A) Longer surveys are better because they are more cost effective to produce.
B) Shorter surveys are better because respondents are more likely to complete them.
C) Longer surveys are best for telephone surveys, shorter surveys for mail surveys.
D) Survey length is unimportant so long as each question is worded correctly.

Question 13

The purpose of pretesting a survey instrument is to:

A) determine whether the respondents will understand and be able to respond to the questions on the survey.
B) figure out how long most respondents will take to complete the survey and return it to researchers.
C) prepare respondents for the real survey and get them thinking about their possible responses.
D) provide proof to an Institutional Review Board that the survey will not harm respondents.

Question 14

A survey researcher wants to reach respondents from different nations and to provide respondents surveys written in the language that they are most comfortable. Which of the following survey formats would be the most appropriate in this research situation?

A) Mail survey
B) Internet survey
C) Telephone survey
D) Face to face interviews

Question 15

A survey researcher wants the maximum response rate but might need to provide the respondents with visual images to explain questions. Which of the following survey formats would be the most appropriate in this research situation?

A) Mail survey
B) Internet survey
C) Telephone survey
D) Face to face interviews

Question 16

The survey method with the highest response rate is:

A) a mail survey.
B) an internet survey.
C) a telephone survey.
D) an interview.

Question 17

The lowest cost survey method is:

A) a mail survey.
B) an internet survey.
C) a telephone survey.
D) an interview.

Question 18

The 'best' survey method for a sample of illiterate respondents would likely be:

A) a mail survey.
B) an internet survey.
C) a telephone survey.
D) an interview.

Question 19

The most expensive survey method is:

A) a mail survey.
B) an internet survey.
C) a telephone survey.
D) an interview.

Question 20

A survey is an excellent method for:

A) determine a causal relationship between two variables.
B) measuring attitudes, beliefs, and opinions.
C) forcing respondents to be truthful.
D) managing the behavior of research subjects during data collection.

Question 21

It is acceptable to use a previous researcher's survey instrument if:

A) it will collect the data necessary to answer the research question.
B) if you give the previous researcher credit for developing it.
C) both a and b.
D) None of the above. It is never acceptable.

Question 22

Survey questions should be written so that:

A) at least 20% of the respondents will understand them.
B) at a third-grade level.
C) so that the overwhelming majority of the respondents will understand them.
D) at a sixth-grade level.

Question 23

The question, ""What is your race?"" should appear:

A) at the beginning of the survey.
B) at the end of the survey.
C) in the middle of the survey.
D) never, this question should never be asked on a survey.

Question 24

What is a survey instrument?

A) A mechanical device used to determine whether a person is lying on a survey.
B) An analytic technique used to organize answers to particular survey questions.
C) The particular coding method that researchers use for inputting survey data.
D) The questionnaire or document that researchers use to collect survey data.

Question 25

Which of the following statements about survey research is accurate?

A) Hypotheses are almost never developed in survey research.
B) Individual beliefs can be captured through survey research.
C) Literature reviews are rarely conducted in survey research.
D) Surveys are an effective method for measuring cause and effect.

Question 26

A survey researcher wants to ensure respondents' complete anonymity and to avoid any bias that might result from the interaction between respondent and researcher. Which of the following survey formats would be the most appropriate in this research situation?

A) Mail survey
B) Internet survey
C) Telephone survey
D) Face to face interviews

Question 27

A survey researcher wants to increase response rates and to adjust the wording of survey questions depending on how the respondent understands the questions. Which of the following survey formats would be the most appropriate in this research situation?

A) Mail survey
B) Internet survey
C) Telephone survey
D) Face to face interviews

Question 28

Which of the following is not an effective technique for increasing the number of responses to a survey?

A) Increasing the length of the survey.
B) Providing incentives to complete the survey.
C) Sending out reminder postcards.
D) Timing the survey appropriately.