psyc3112_5322_week_1.3_writing_questions_(t1_2025) (1080p)

Creating Scales and Questionnaires

• Developing scales or questionnaires involves several structured steps beyond simply listing desired characteristics.

• Importance of crafting good questions and items, which serve as the foundation of scales.

  • Items can stand alone or function as part of larger scales.

  • Example: To measure relationship length, one question asking for the number of years with a partner suffices.

Types of Questions

• Open-ended Questions

  • Allow respondents to provide unrestricted answers, yielding qualitative data.

  • Example: "What do you consider to be the best feature or features of living in Melbourne?"

  • Benefits:

    • Generates broad data and encourages detailed responses.

    • Valuable in exploratory research, revealing new interests.

    • Builds rapport, particularly in clinical contexts.

  • Drawbacks:

    • Can lead to lengthy responses that might deter some respondents.

    • Difficult to analyze and may yield messy data.

• Closed-ended Questions

  • Require short, confined responses, either qualitative or quantitative.

  • Example: Asking if currently married (yes, no).

  • Often formatted as fixed-choice questions with predetermined answers.

    • Provides a straightforward approach to data analysis.

    • Eliminates ambiguity in responses.

  • Benefits:

    • Quick and easy for administration and analysis.

    • Keeps respondents on topic, reducing blank responses.

  • Drawbacks:

    • Can limit respondents' ability to convey nuanced attitudes.

    • Carefully designed response options are crucial for effectiveness.

Fixed Choice Question Formats

• Various types of fixed choice questions:

  • Forced Choice Questions:

    • Respondents select between two discrete options (e.g., internal vs external locus of control).

    • E.g., Julian Rotter's IE Scale with pairs reflecting internal/external perspectives.

  • Numerical Likert-Type Scales:

    • Respondents choose from an ordered set of responses (e.g., strongly disagree to strongly agree).

    • Allows quantitative analysis through coding responses.

    • A true Likert scale comprises multiple numerical items measuring the same construct.

    • Crucial to reverse code negatively worded items before summation.

  • Semantic Differential:

    • Respondents identify positions along a scale between two opposing adjectives (e.g., ugly vs beautiful).

    • Scoring can involve dividing the line into segments or measuring marked responses.

General Considerations for Fixed Choice Questions

• Accuracy: Ensure response options match the question appropriately.

• Exhaustiveness: Options should encompass all potential responses.

• Mutual Exclusivity: No overlapping options; respondents can only select one.

• Unidimensionality: Responses should focus on a single aspect.

• Variability: Ensure that choices encourage a range of responses to avoid data clustering.

Pretesting and Best Practices

• Importance of pretesting questions to refine clarity and relevance.

• Continuous review and adjustment of questions to maintain quality and efficacy.

Conclusion

• Effectively designed questionnaires play a crucial role in gathering accurate data, facilitating reliable analyses, and yielding meaningful insights.