Deck 7: Survey Research

Question 1

Group administered surveys tend to have higher response rates than do mailed surveys.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

A fence-sitter is a respondent that chooses between two substantive responses on a survey even when he or she doesn't really know.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

When designing a questionnaire, researchers must write new questions to measure all key concepts.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Confidentiality in surveys requires that no identifying information is ever recorded to link respondents with their responses.

Question 5

Use the following to answer questions 16-18:
In each set, match a concept from Group A to a definition or example from Group B.
Questionnaire design
Group A
1. interview schedule
2. cognitive interview
3. interpretive questions
4. context effects

Group B
a. A set of questions used for an in-person or phone survey
b. Follow-up questions to see how a question was interpreted by respondents
c. Questions added to a survey to help interpret respondents' answers
d. Questions used for a self-administered survey
e. The influence of question order on how questions are answered

Question 6

A cover letter should:

A) Establish credibility of research
B) Contain a personal address
C) Contain an original signature
D) Explain voluntary participation
E) All of the above

Question 7

Survey research collects information from individuals through responses to standardized questions.

Question 8

A cognitive interview is conducted to understand how respondents interpret survey questions.

Question 9

An omnibus survey does not need a specific research focus.

Question 10

A context effect occurs when a question on a survey influences how a respondent will interpret a later question.

Question 11

The following question contains a double-negative: Do you agree that fewer immigrants should be allowed into the United States but that immigrants should be allowed full rights when they arrive?

Question 12

Electronic survey can take two forms:

A) Digital and analog
B) Web surveys and Internet surveys
C) Web surveys and e-mail surveys
D) E-mail surveys and digital surveys
E) Web-casts and e-mail surveys

Question 13

Use the following to answer questions 16-18:
In each set, match a concept from Group A to a definition or example from Group B.
Writing Good Questions
Group A
1. double-barreled question
2. filter question
3. fence sitter
4. floater

Group B
a. Two questions in one
b. Person who chooses a neutral response
c. Person who chooses a survey answer but doesn't really know
d. Question that creates a skip pattern
e. Question that contains a double negative

Question 14

Web surveys are becoming popular due to their flexibility and inexpensiveness.

Question 15

Respondents will sometimes agree with a statement in a survey simply because they don't want to be disagreeable.

Question 16

Use the following to answer questions 16-18:
In each set, match a concept from Group A to a definition or example from Group B.
Administering Surveys
Group A
1. Mailed survey
2. Group survey
3. Phone survey
4. In-person survey
5. Electronic survey

Group B
a. Highest response rate of administration methods
b. Has a low initial response rate, often less than 30%
c. Lowest cost of administration methods
d. Does not allow for open-ended questions
e. Allows administration to more than one respondent at a time
f. Uses an interviewer, but it usually highly structured

Question 17

Random digit dialing (RDD) cannot "capture" unlisted numbers, whose owners are systematically different.

Question 18

A major weakness of web-based surveys is that Internet access is not widely or evenly available in the general population.

Question 19

Researchers often have difficulty contacting sample units.

Question 20

The following is an example of a double-barreled question: Do you agree or disagree with university policies that raise student fees and spend them on athletics?

Question 21

Anonymity exists when:

A) Researchers limit information about respondents to trained staff
B) No identifying information is ever collected to link respondent to responses
C) The sample of respondents in a survey is selected purely by random
D) The researcher only uses numbers to connect respondent identity to responses
E) Both b and d

Question 22

An in-person interview can never guarantee:

A) Validity
B) Reliability
C) Anonymity
D) Confidentiality
E) Both a and b

Question 23

Interpretive questions are most useful during which part of survey research?

A) Questionnaire design
B) Precoding
C) Pretesting
D) First mailing
E) Focus groups

Question 24

Group surveys differ from other types of surveys in the following way:

A) Respondents do not fill out the questionnaires themselves.
B) The cost of group surveys is usually prohibitively high.
C) The questionnaire is distributed to more than one respondent at a time.
D) An interviewer reads the questions to the respondent.
E) The questionnaire can be loosely structured.

Question 25

Face-to-face social interaction occurs between researcher and respondent only in:

A) Mailed surveys
B) Web surveys
C) Phone surveys
D) In-person surveys
E) E-mail surveys

Question 26

Which of the following is a good idea for making the questionnaire attractive to respondents?

A) Leave lots of space white on the Page
B) List responses in a single line
C) Incorporate instructions into the questions themselves
D) If the questionnaire has several Page, do not staple them together
E) Use skip patterns wherever possible

Question 27

A context effect in a survey occurs when:

A) The response to a question is influenced by previous questions
B) The interviewer influences how a respondent answers questions
C) Respondents answer different based on where they take a survey
D) The manner in which a survey questionnaire is distributed influences the way the respondents answer
E) All of the above

Question 28

The ethical question that arises most frequently in group surveys is:

A) Respondents may feel coerced to complete surveys.
B) Respondents may discuss their answers with one another.
C) It is very difficult to establish confidentiality within a group.
D) Informed consent cannot be given by group leaders.
E) The researcher can see the people who complete the surveys.

Question 29

What guideline does the following question violate in terms of guidelines for writing questions: Do you agree or disagree that television increases people's tolerance for violence and drug use?

A) Avoid double negatives
B) Avoid double-barreled questions
C) Minimize risk of biased words
D) Avoid making disagreement or agreement disagreeable
E) Minimize fence sitting and floating

Question 30

In a survey, a contingent question always follows a(n):

A) Double-barreled question
B) Double-negative question
C) Open-ended question
D) Interpretive question
E) Filter question

Question 31

In-person interviewing has all of the following advantages compared to other survey designs except:

A) High rates of response
B) Questionnaire can be longer and more complex
C) Physical and social context can be monitored
D) The interviewer has little effect on how the respondent answers
E) Interpretations of questions can be probed and clarified

Question 32

In a closed-ended survey question, responses must be exhaustive and mutually exclusive except in:

A) Interpretive and check-all-that-apply questions
B) Check-all-that-apply and filter questions
C) Filter and contingent questions
D) Contingent and cognitive questions
E) Cognitive and interpretive questions

Question 33

The best way to improve response rates on a mailed survey is:

A) Include a self-addressed stamped envelope.
B) Write an attractive questionnaire.
C) Use different formatting to distinguish instructions.
D) Send follow-up letters and replacement questionnaires.
E) Include your contact information in a personalized cover letter.

Question 34

The list of questions in a self-administered survey is called the:

A) Interview
B) Interview schedule
C) Questionnaire
D) Survey
E) Checklist

Question 35

What guideline does the following question violate in terms of guidelines for writing questions: Do you think the United States should release more oil reserves in order to reduce gas prices or let gas prices continue to climb until no one can afford to drive?

A) Avoid double negatives
B) Avoid double-barreled questions
C) Avoid filter questions
D) Avoid making disagreement or agreement disagreeable
E) Minimize fence sitting and floating

Question 36

The General Social Survey is an example of:

A) A mailed survey
B) An omnibus survey
C) A phone survey
D) A web survey
E) An e-mail survey

Question 37

If a respondent is forced to choose an answer from a list of responses, but the respondent doesn't really know anything about the question, the person who designed the survey has taken which of the following into consideration:

A) Context
B) Floaters
C) Double-barreling
D) Bias
E) Fence-sitting

Question 38

A phone survey conducted with random digit dialing has all but which of the following features?

A) Designation of telephone exchanges to be called
B) Machine-based calling of random phone numbers
C) Postcard follow-ups to those who don't answer the phone
D) Screening questions to identify appropriate respondents
E) Personnel training

Question 39

The skip pattern in a survey is created by:

A) Respondent competence
B) Contingency questions
C) Open ended questions
D) Filter questions
E) Skip questions

Question 40

In a phone survey or an in-person survey, the list of questions is referred to as:

A) Questionnaire
B) Interview survey
C) Interview schedule
D) Interpretive questions
E) Key informant interview

Question 41

What makes a good survey questionnaire? Consider the questions themselves and the questionnaire as a whole. Why is it important to make sure you have a good questionnaire? How can you determine if you have a good questionnaire?

Question 42

The popularity of survey research is due to:

A) Control over extraneous influences in the mode
B) Versatility, efficiency, and the generalizability of results
C) The anonymity guaranteed research subject by the investigator
D) Relatively high degree of population turnover
E) Its ability to establish causation convincingly

Question 43

Consider the advantages and disadvantages of using an in-person survey, compared to a self-administered survey and a telephone survey.

Question 44

Which of the following is not a benefit of web surveys?

A) They are flexible and inexpensive
B) Is representative of the whole population
C) Respondents can view definitions of words or instructions for answering questions
D) Lengthy sets of responses can be presented with pull-down menus
E) Pictures and audio segments can be added

Question 45

Discuss the principal ethical problems in surveys. Why are surveys generally regarded as having fewer ethical dilemmas?

Question 46

What is the difference between anonymity and confidentiality? When is each appropriate? What are the advantages and disadvantages associated with each?

Question 47

What guideline does the following question violate in terms of guidelines for writing questions: Do you disagree that there should not be an exam on Chapter 6?

A) Avoid double negatives
B) Avoid double-barreled questions
C) Minimize risk of biased words
D) Avoid making disagreement or agreement disagreeable
E) Minimize fence sitting and floating

Question 48

Describe five different ways that surveys can be administered. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?

Question 49

Why would the presence of an interviewer make it difficult for respondents to give honest answers?

A) Respondent may want to please the interviewer
B) Respondent may not want to talk about socially undesirable behavior
C) Respondent may be affected by the attitude of the interviewer
D) Both a and b
E) All of the above

Question 50

Survey research involves:

A) The collection of in-depth and intensive interviews with key informants
B) A considerable degree of data dredging, often in official government records
C) Randomization of subjects and manipulation of the independent variable
D) The systematic collection of data from individuals using responses to standardized questions
E) Focus groups that result in guided discussions

Question 51

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of including neutral, middle alternatives in response choices for survey questions.

Question 52

Jacky is doing a study on the number of hours spent watching TV and how this affects family cohesion. She decides to mail a questionnaire to randomly selected households in her state. This is an example of:

A) Self-administered survey
B) Group-administered survey
C) Sampling units survey
D) Random participant survey
E) Computer-assisted personal interview

Question 53

Telephone surveys are fast and efficient. Why not conduct all surveys by phone? In your answer, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this approach and highlight any unique advantages of other survey designs. Be sure to clarify when (if ever) the other designs are preferable.

Question 54

Which of the following is a way for researchers to contact sample units, particularly households?

A) Self-administered survey
B) E-mail survey
C) Web survey
D) Random digit dialing
E) Computer-assisted personal interview

Question 55

Describe in detail how response rates can be improved for mailed surveys.

Question 56

Outline the procedure for pretesting a survey.

Question 57

Which of the following allows interviewers to display interview questions on a computer screen in order to process the responses and check that responses fall within allowed ranges?

A) Self-administered survey
B) E-mail interview
C) Web interview
D) Random digit dialing
E) Computer-assisted personal interview

Question 58

You have been instructed to design a survey of students at the college to determine their satisfaction with the physical facilities on campus (e.g., classrooms, buildings, etc.). Propose a survey design, including sampling technique, administration of survey, and a few sample questions. Justify your proposal given other potential designs.

Question 59

What are the key features of a good cover letter? Which features are most important for maximizing the response rate in a survey? For treating respondents ethically? Write a sample cover letter for a self-administered, mailed survey in which respondents will be asked questions about their relationship with their brothers and sisters.
Answer Key