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Designing Quality Survey Questions
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Designing Quality Survey Questions



June 2018 | 256 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc

Surveys are a cornerstone of social and behavioral research, and with the use of web-based tools, surveys have become an easy and inexpensive means of gathering data. But how researchers ask a question can dramatically influence the answers they receive. 

Designing Quality Survey Questions shows readers how to craft high quality, precisely-worded survey questions that will elicit rich, nuanced, and ultimately useful data to help answer their research or evaluation questions. The authors address challenges such as language preferences for standard demographic questions (e.g. How to ask about gender), creative question design to keep respondents engaged and avoid survey fatigue, web-based survey formats, culturally-responsive survey design, and factors that influence survey responses (memory, social desirability, etc.). Numerous examples of questions illustrate each identified principle of question construction. 

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Preface
Why This Text

 
What This Text Is

 
What This Text Is Not

 
Who Can Benefit From This Text

 
Navigating This Text

 
A Note About Language

 
 
Acknowledgments
 
About the Authors
 
Chapter 1. WHY Quality Surveys and Questions Matter
What Is a Quality Survey?

 
Why Does Quality Matter?

 
Why Do We Need a Purposeful Survey Design Process?

 
Applying Design Thinking to Survey Research

 
A Purposeful Survey Design Process

 
An Iterative Process

 
Discussion Questions

 
Design Drills

 
Extended Learning

 
 
PART I. WHAT TO CONSIDER BEFORE DRAFTING SURVEY QUESTIONS
 
Chapter 2. Planning and Predrafting
Why Survey? The Importance of Establishing Purpose

 
What Will Be Measured? Understanding Constructs and Indicators

 
Wait, Do You Really Need a Survey?

 
What Can Be Measured With a Survey?

 
What Are the Advantages and Limitations of Surveys?

 
Discussion Questions

 
Design Drills

 
Extended Learning

 
 
Chapter 3. Understanding Respondents
Cognitive Tasks Involved in Answering Questions

 
Respondent Willingness and Ability to Participate in a Survey

 
Context and Culture

 
Discussion Questions

 
Design Drills

 
Extended Learning

 
 
PART II. HOW TO DEVELOP SURVEY QUESTIONS AND RESPONSE OPTIONS
 
Chapter 4. Sourcing and Crafting Questions
Sourcing Survey Questions

 
Composing Question Stems

 
Avoiding Problematic Wording and Question Types

 
Open-Ended Questions

 
Closed-Ended Questions

 
Discussion Questions

 
Design Drills

 
Extended Learning

 
 
Chapter 5. Constructing Response Options
Determining Appropriate Response Options

 
Strategies for Designing Response Options

 
Discussion Questions

 
Design Drills

 
Extended Learning

 
 
Chapter 6. Special Purpose and Sensitive Questions
Questions With Special Purposes

 
Sensitive Questions

 
Demographic Questions

 
Discussion Questions

 
Design Drills

 
Extended Learning

 
 
PART III. KNOWING WHEN A SURVEY IS READY FOR USE
 
Chapter 7. Finalizing Questions and Using Pretesting Strategies
Why Pretest Surveys and Their Questions?

 
How Can Surveys and Their Questions Be Tested Prior to Use?

 
Discussion Questions

 
Design Drills

 
Extended Learning

 
 
Chapter 8. Pulling It All Together to Maximize Response
Survey Instructions

 
Order Effects

 
Formatting the Survey

 
Contacting Potential Respondents

 
Planning for Administration

 
Discussion Questions

 
Design Drills

 
Extended Learning

 
 
Appendix: Checklist for Quality Question Design
 
Glossary
 
References
 
Index

“This is a comprehensive, concise guide to creating quality questions that provides guidance and rationale for design choices that will improve survey research.”

Anne K. Hughes
Michigan State University

“A one-stop shopping manual to survey design.” 

Allison K. Wisecup
Radford University
Key features

KEY FEATURES:

  • A design thinking framework helps researchers understand and empathize with their potential respondents and be able to build and test survey prototypes before administering surveys.
  • Direct guidance on potentially difficult aspects of survey writing, including crafting clear question stems and appropriate response options, working with sensitive question types, and understanding how question wording can influence response, address considerations for writing and administering surveys.
  • Stories from the Field boxes provide “real world” experiences collected from practitioners who share lessons learned about survey design.
  • Design Drills exercises challenge the reader and support application of the information included.
  • Discussion Questions designed for group discussion or individual reflection on the content included.

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