Exam 2 - Typologies, Indexes, Scales, and Surveys

ndex and scale

Composite measures combining several specific items into one variable

Unidimensional

Measures one underlying dimension or concept

Multidimensional

Involves two or more dimensions or concepts

Typology

Combines categories across two or more dimensions to classify respondents

Data reduction

Combining several indicators into a single numerical score

Index

Composite measure representing a general dimension created by combining variable scores

Scale

Composite measure whose items have a logical or structured relationship

Index vs scale

Indexes have weaker combining rules while scales have stricter rules

Index scoring

Usually created by adding standardized or unstandardized variable scores

Index measurement

Usually continuous

Typology measurement

Usually nominal

Scale intensity structure

Uses differences in intensity across related items

Index example

Combining responses about worries into a single score

Scale example

Combining related questions about abortion attitudes

Factor analysis

Identifies how many underlying concepts explain a set of measures

Component analysis

Identifies components and the variation they explain

Pattern matrix

Shows how variables load onto underlying components

Good factor loading

A loading greater than 0.5 is generally considered good

Reliability analysis

Evaluates how consistently items measure a concept

Cronbach's alpha

A reliability statistic closer to 1 indicates higher internal consistency

Survey

A widely used social science method for collecting information from respondents

Descriptive research

Research that describes a phenomenon

Explanatory research

Research that tests hypotheses and explains relationships

Primary analysis

Collecting and analyzing your own data

Secondary analysis

Analyzing data collected by others

Survey strengths

Useful for studying attitudes beliefs values and behaviors

Survey unit of analysis

Usually the individual respondent

SUG

Selling under the guise of research

FRUG

Fundraising under the guise of research

Response rate

Percentage of selected sample members who participate

Self-selection bias

Bias when people especially interested in a topic are more likely to participate

Inducement

An incentive offered to encourage survey participation

Noncoercive incentive

A reasonable incentive that encourages participation without pressure

Official participation letter

Explains study goals and the importance of participation

Self-administered survey

A survey completed by respondents without an interviewer asking each question

Mail survey

Self-administered survey delivered by mail

Web-based survey

Self-administered survey completed online

CASI

Computer-assisted self-interviewing completed by the respondent

Mail survey disadvantage

Slow data collection requires data entry and needs mailing addresses

Web survey advantage

Quick data collection with responses entered in readable digital format

Web survey limitation

May exclude people without internet access

Telephone survey

Survey conducted by an interviewer over the phone

Random digit dialing

Selecting telephone numbers through randomly generated digits

CATI

Computer-assisted telephone interviewing

Telephone survey advantage

Usually quicker and less costly than in-person interviewing

Telephone survey limitation

Limited length and possible interviewer effects

Personal interview

Survey conducted face-to-face by an interviewer

CAPI

Computer-assisted personal interviewing

Personal interview advantage

Offers flexibility rapport-building and often higher response rates

Personal interview disadvantage

Usually the most expensive survey method

Interviewer effects

Influence of the interviewer on a respondent's answers

Standardized interview

An interview conducted consistently to minimize interviewer effects

Rapport

Trust and connection established between interviewer and respondent

Survey participation strategies

Be a good listener establish rapport and follow questionnaire instructions

Survey method considerations

Purpose response rate cost sampling frame sample characteristics time and information type

Sampling frame

A list or source identifying population members who can be sampled

Sensitive survey questions

Questions that may cause embarrassment discomfort or concern

Self-administered sensitive questions

Can increase privacy and reduce interviewer influence

Questionnaire design

Developing a standardized instrument that meets data needs within available resources

Questionnaire validity

Depends on questions wording response categories and the population surveyed

Simple question design

Use simple vocabulary and short clear questions

Loaded question

A question worded to push respondents toward a particular answer

Double negative

A question containing two negatives that may confuse respondents

Question order

Questions should flow in a logical sequence

Survey length

Keep surveys short to reduce respondent burden

Verification questions

Multiple questions used to check consistency of responses

Face-saving opportunity

Allows respondents to answer sensitive questions without embarrassment

Question framing

Presenting a question in a way that avoids threatening or biased language

Sensitive question placement

Often placed in the middle or near the end of an interview

Questionnaire development step 1

Determine what information is required

Questionnaire development step 2

Draft meaningful questions that elicit the needed information

Questionnaire development step 3

Incorporate questions used by other researchers when appropriate

Questionnaire development step 4

Organize the questions

Questionnaire development step 5

Pretest the questionnaire

Questionnaire development step 6

Revise the questionnaire and repeat earlier steps if needed

Wishbook

A preliminary list of questions or information researchers would like to collect

Sources of survey questions

Literature review theory experts colleagues and members of the target population

Demographic questions

Questions measuring core social characteristics

Knowledge questions

Questions assessing respondents' knowledge of a topic

Pretesting

Testing questions and the survey before full implementation

Question comprehension

Whether respondents understand what a question means

Question clarity

Whether a question is easy to understand

Question appropriateness

Whether a question fits the target population and research purpose

Response categories

The answer options provided for a survey question

Discomfort testing

Checking whether questions make respondents uncomfortable

Survey pretest

Evaluating overall length organization and potential response sets

Response set

The tendency to answer a series of questions in the same pattern regardless of conten