Question 1

Issues that are complex and often require interpretation are most well suited for which survey modality?

Accepted Answer

Complex issues often require interpretation and clarification, which can be accomplished best through an interview-style survey. The interviewer can ask follow-up questions and probe for more information, helping to ensure a thorough understanding of the issue at hand. This modality allows for more in-depth responses and can help reveal important nuances and details that may not be captured through other survey methods.

Question 2

Which of the following is generally NOT suggested as a good practice in online survey development?

Accepted Answer

Enforcing time limits can pressure respondents and lead to incomplete or rushed answers, which can compromise the quality of the data collected.

Question 3

Ying is conducting research on the elderly to determine what their fear of crime is,as well as what affects this fear.In general,which of the following modalities would be the LEAST appropriate to use?

Accepted Answer

An online survey may not be the best choice when studying elderly populations as they may not have internet access or may not be comfortable using technology. A telephone survey or an interview survey may be more appropriate to ensure that the elderly participants understand the questions and can provide accurate responses. A mail survey or self-report survey may also be options, but they may not allow for clarification of answers or follow-up questions.

Question 4

Which one of the following is NOT an advantage of interviews over questionnaires?

Accepted Answer

Interviews can introduce bias due to the presence of an interviewer, which can influence responses, unlike questionnaires where such bias is minimized.

Question 5

Generally,interviewers should dress

Accepted Answer

Interviewers should dress similar to the people they will be interviewing to create a comfortable and welcoming environment for the interviewee. This also helps to prevent any power dynamics or intimidation based on appearance.

Question 6

Which of the following types of surveys yields the LEAST amount of interviewer bias?

Accepted Answer

Mail surveys allow respondents to complete the survey at their own pace and without any interaction with an interviewer, reducing the possibility of interviewer bias.

Question 7

Stephanique used this item in her questionnaire: "My working conditions are not satisfactory," and used "strongly agree" to "strongly disagree" as responses.What is the major weakness with this item?

Accepted Answer

The major weakness with this item is that it is a negative item, meaning that it is worded in a negative way (saying "not satisfactory" instead of "satisfactory"), which can lead to confusion and response bias. Negative items can also be more difficult for participants to answer accurately or consistently. It is generally recommended to use positive items whenever possible to avoid these issues.

Question 8

Margaret used this question in her questionnaire given to students: "Are you satisfied with your grade in this class and the amount of homework?" What is the major weakness with this item?

Accepted Answer

The item is double-barreled because it asks two questions in one sentence. It is unclear whether the respondent is satisfied with their grade, their amount of homework, or both. This can lead to confusion and inaccurate responses.

Question 9

Which of the following is NOT a major concern that a researcher must address if they are planning to conduct an online survey?

Accepted Answer

The appearance of the survey if printed out is not a major concern for online surveys since the survey is designed to be completed online. The device respondents use, screensizes, software used, and the population of interest are all important factors to consider when conducting an online survey.

Question 10

Michelle,an undergraduate English major at the local university was recruited to take part in a survey that examined student perceptions on which graduate courses in computer science she was planning to take.Her responses would be problematic for the researcher because they were:

Accepted Answer

Michelle, being an English major, is not competent to answer questions about her plans for graduate courses in computer science, as it is outside her field of study.

Question 11

When respondents in an interview give inappropriate or incomplete responses,the interviewer should

Accepted Answer

Probing is the best course of action as it allows the interviewer to ask additional questions to clarify the response or answer. This helps in obtaining complete and accurate information, which is crucial for the success of the interview. Simply moving on to the next question or calling the supervisor may not resolve the issue or lead to relevant information. The interviewer should avoid calling the respondent out directly or making them feel uncomfortable.

Question 12

The survey question,"Do you think that premarital sex is biblically wrong and that persons who engage in premarital sex will likely go to hell?" is considered an erroneous question because it

Accepted Answer

The question is a double-barreled question that assumes premarital sex is biblically wrong and that persons who engage in it will likely go to hell, which are two separate beliefs. This can lead to confusion and inaccurate responses. Furthermore, the question may not be applicable or relevant to everyone, and may elicit socially desirable answers or attitudes that may change over time.

Question 13

Roger is training a new batch of interviewers for his project studying attitudes on the 2008 economic bailout package in the U.S.His previous supervisor has indicated that the best training for interviewing is to

Accepted Answer

Practicing interviewing on each other allows the new interviewers to get hands-on experience and receive feedback on their techniques from their peers. This will help them to develop their skills and improve before conducting real interviews. Memorizing the interview protocol or practicing alone may not be as effective in preparing them for the actual interviewing process. Quizzing other interviewers or practicing on volunteers from Roger's pool of co-workers may also not provide the same level of feedback and experience as practicing on each other.

Question 14

The question,"Do you believe that the United States should not withdraw its troops from Iraq" is problematic because

Accepted Answer

The question is problematic because it is phrased negatively, which can confuse respondents and lead to misinterpretation of their true opinion.

Question 15

What is the desired ordering of items in interviews and self-administered questionnaires?

Accepted Answer

It is generally recommended to ask demographic items first in interviews because it can help establish rapport and create a comfortable atmosphere for the interviewee. However, it is recommended to ask demographic items last in self-administered questionnaires as it can decrease response rates if these items are asked at the beginning. Therefore, the best choice is to ask the demographic items first in interviews and last in questionnaires.

Question 16

A design technique for mail surveys that allows more questions to be asked in a smaller piece of the paper is using

Accepted Answer

Matrix questions allow multiple questions to be presented in a condensed format. This technique involves displaying a matrix of questions with identical response options, which reduces the space needed for each question. This is particularly useful in mail surveys where space is limited, but multiple questions need to be asked.

Question 17

In designing an online survey regarding drug treatment availability for convicted felons,one of Euphoria's questions is "Do you support drug treatment supported by the government for convicted felons?".Why is her question problematic?

Accepted Answer

The question uses the term "supported by the government," which may introduce bias by implying a political stance or expectation.

Question 18

In Greg's survey of high school students,he accidentally had a question asking "How many grandchildren do you have?" What is the problem with this?

Accepted Answer

High school students cannot have grandchildren as they are typically not old enough to be grandparents. This question is therefore irrelevant and the respondents are not competent to answer it.

Question 19

Belinda wanted to ask several questions asking about which dimensions of feminism that respondents would agree with.All the items have the same answer categories.Which type of questions would be the best to use?

Accepted Answer

Closed-ended matrix questions would be the best choice for this situation as they allow respondents to choose from predetermined answer categories, which are the same for each question. This makes it easier for the researcher to analyze the results and compare responses across the different dimensions of feminism. Open-ended questions would make it more difficult to compare responses and could result in inconsistent or irrelevant answers. Contingency questions introduce additional variables, which may not be relevant to the research question. Interviews and telephone surveys are not necessary for this type of research, and may be time-consuming and expensive.

Question 20

Sara was raped by one of her male friends.She is accompanied to the hospital with another friend for an examination,and while there,is interviewed by the police,nurses,and a sexual assault advocate.The advocate gives Sara a questionnaire asking about the circumstances surrounding the rape.Sara is hesitant about filling out the questionnaire as she is still emotionally distraught.The advocate tells her that she MUST fill out the questionnaire in order to move forward with the report of rape.If Sara chooses to answer the questions,her answers would be

Accepted Answer

Sara's emotional state and unwillingness to answer the questions could lead to erroneous responses, as she may not be in the right frame of mind to provide accurate information.

Quiz 9: Survey Research