210 likes | 361 Views
Super Questions for Super Surveys and Evaluations. Tweet to: #ilf13. Facebook: ILFAnnualConference. Super Questions for Super Surveys and Evaluations. Getting the best data . Rachel Applegate Indiana University School of Library and Information Science, Indianapolis.
E N D
Super Questions for Super Surveys and Evaluations Tweet to: #ilf13 Facebook: ILFAnnualConference
Super Questions for Super Surveys and Evaluations Getting the best data Rachel Applegate Indiana University School of Library and Information Science, Indianapolis
Good question wording for surveys • Interview (and focus group) question wording • (if time allows: Surveymonkey question types)
Survey question types • Yes/no? Have you ever, in your entire life…. • What time frame? • Use only for concrete behavior or status • WATCH: Maybe? That is a Gradation—see Ratings • Categories • Get someone to check them • Mutually exclusive and exhaustive (include ‘other’) • Max of 2 columns (preferable, ONE) • Ratings • “Likert-type:” ‘on a scale of’
Questions: Yes/No • Yes/No? Have you ever, in your entire life…. • Status: Resident/non-resident, Adult/child • Used these services in the past month Every check-box is a yes/no question • Yes/No = 1, 0 • Average = % of those who checked yes.
Yes/No: don’t Bad questions • Do you read to your child? • Is the document delivery system important? • Should the library have a graphic novel collection?
Questions: Categories • Categories: mutually exclusive and exhaustive • Choose just ONE: • Age range • Status [Faculty, staff, student?] • Main purpose of your visit today • Choose any really means “yes/no”
Categories: don’t Bad questions • How many times do you bring your class to the library a semester: 0-1 2-3 4+ • What do you most want in a new library? Parking Coffee Shop Wireless eBooks • What topics are you interested in? Health and wellness Cooking and fashion
Questions: Ratings • Powerful amount of data, well-understood by patrons • Generically useful: 5-point low (1) to high (5)
Questions: Ratings Higher = Better Left Right
Questions: Ratings • Blanksthe skipped question = data Please rate these services. Skip if you have not used them Do not ask people BOTH to rate things AND if they used them
Ratings: don’tRankings • Please rank your top three…. • Use RATINGS instead • Use the results to rank highest-rated • Also have people pick valuable items
Interview Questionsfor evaluation • Tour question: • On your last visit/ trip • For your last paper/project • Critical (=memorable) incident question: • What was the most important / interesting / frustrating / time you have had with our library / phone service / databases / paper research
Interview Questionsfor evaluation • Outside the box: • NOT: yes, no; NOT: which of these • Socially correct accepting: • NOT: did you ask for help? • NOT: when you use the library for research... • Starting at a neutral point: • Thinking of things your child does in the summer... • When you get an assignment....
Interview Questionsfor evaluation Other techniques to get more truthful responses: • What could we say (about X) to others? • If they have moved, compare to previous library/ service. • What would make things easier for you? • What have you heard other (parents, students, users, colleagues) say?
Interview Questionsfor evaluation DON’T HELP! DON’T INFORM! DON’T EDUCATE! Don’t even think about it. Offering help implies that their (poor) experience was their fault Offering information implies that they are ignorant of something they should know
SurveyMonkeyMatrix • A series of questions with identical answer sets • For choose-only-one (categories), use • Matrix of Choices /Only One Answer Per Row • Row = question Column = Answer • For choose-any, use • Matrix of Choices / Multiple Answers
SurveyMonkeyoverview • Free surveys: • 10 or fewer questions (but one matrix = 1 question) • 100 or fewer respondents • Basic total for each question individually • No combinations (cross-tabs) • No graphs • No downloading • Pro: $19.95 / month
SurveyMonkeyRatings • For Likert-type (numerical), use • Rating Scale • Each ROW is one QUESTION • “Question text” just means the generic prompt • “Weight” means the numbers of the options. Higher numbers = better
Questions? • rapplega@iupui.edu • Help reviewing your survey • Setting up the spreadsheet for analysis • Guides: • Applegate, Rachel. Practical Evaluation Techniques for Librarians, Libraries Unlimited, 2013 • Suskie, Linda. Questionnaire Survey Research: What Works. Tallahassee, Fl: Association for Institutional Research, 1996.