Questionnaire wording - examples

1. Questionnaire wording - examples Jettie Hoonhout Philips Research November 2013

2. Assignment 2 – question wording cases • Work through the examples of questionnaire wording, that you find in this presentation, and answer the question, or if no specific question is asked with the example, consider the following questions: • what do you think might be the impact of how the question is formulated on the answer a respondent will give, • how would you perhaps change the wording (or the item, or answer options) • Use the information in the presentation on questionnaire design for this, and/or the literature references, and of course good solid thinking • NB most of these examples were drawn from actually employed questionnaires….. (either from my personal collection of weird questions, or retrieved from examples described in literature by others)

3. 1. What do you expect the difference to be in answer frequencies when considering the 2 differently worded questions below? • when asked what they consider “the most important thing for children to prepare them for live” x% of a representative sample chose the alternative “to think for themselves” when this alternative was offered on a list. • y% volunteered an answer that could be assigned to this category when no list was presented.

4. 2. What do you expect the difference to be in answer frequencies? • when asked how successful they have been in life, x% of a representative sample reported a value between 0 and 5 when the numeric values of the rating scale ranged from 0 to 10 (representing “not at all successful” to “extremely successful”) • y% reported a formally equivalent value between –5 and 0 on a scale ranging from –5 to +5 (not at all successful to extremely successful)

5. 3. What range would you choose? • A questionnaire asking psychosomatic patients about their situation will contain an item about frequency of physical symptoms experienced; which response scale would you adopt, and why? (pick your choice of ranges, anywhere from several times per minute to once every twelve years, or other ranges in between)

6. 4. Do you expect differences in responses in the following cases? If so, in what way? • How frequently have you been angry [last week] • How frequently have you been angry [last year]?

7. 5. Take into account the order of questions! What do you think will happen if you change the order of the questions below? Please answer the following questions about a student who allowed another student to cheat on an exam by copying his answers: • 1. how honest is the first student (not at all – completely) • 2. how kind is the first student (not at all – very)

8. 6. • What do you expect that will happen if you would include a question like the one below? • In a questionnaire: can you please state what is your income?

9. 7. • What would be your comment on this question? • In the past three years, how many times have you made a gift to a non-profit organization?

10. 8. Any suggestions how to ensure that respondents will not forget to include in their answer to the following question all cases that they drank beer in the past 30 days? • During the past 30 days, did you drink any beer?

11. 9. • How reliable do you think will be the answers on this question? Please explain why. • What percentage of your budget do you spend on CDs?

12. 10. Consider the following 2 items from a customer satisfaction questionnaire, handed out by Pizza Hut a couple of years ago. Any comments? How would you rate our service? • excellent / very good / acceptable / not acceptable Do you visit Pizza Hut: • 1 or more times per week • 1 or more times per month • 1 or more times per year • this is my first visit

13. 11. Consider the following cases: What is your opinion on the following items; how would you change perhaps the items? Most doctors say that cigarette smoke causes lung disease for those near a smoker; do you agree? Should the mayor spend even more tax money trying to keep the streets in top shape? What is the most important thing we should do to stop the economy from deteriorating any further?

14. 12. Are these good questions? Why? • Does your company have pension and health insurance benefits? • Do you like the texture and flavor of this snack?

15. 13. What would you say to someone who wants to include this question in a questionnaire? • If a new electronics store were to open down the street, would you shop there?

16. 14. Discuss the possible answers that the following question might elicit: • What have you done today?

17. 15. Would there be any difference in asking about support for the death penalty in the following cases? Explain your answer.. • Do you support the death penalty: • yes / no • yes / no / life sentence without parole

18. 16. Is this a good question? Why, or why not? • What do you think of the Republican XYZ proposal?

19. 17. And how about this one? • Do you use regular or premium gas in your car?

20. 18. again, any comments? • How many hours per week do you spend on watching television?

21. 19. What do you think of this item? • Do you approve or disapprove of changing from letter grades to a portfolio system of assessment?

22. 20. Is there anything wrong with this one? why, or why not? • In order to improve the quality of education, should teachers be paid higher salaries?

23. 21. Compare the following cases: which one do you prefer, and why? • How often do you miss classes on average? • How many classes did you miss last week?

24. 22. Consider the following case: any comments? • What is your annual income? a. Under $10,000 incomeb. $10,000-$15,000 incomec. $15,000-$25,000 incomed. $25,000-$40,000 incomee. Over $40,000 income

25. 23. From the Philips Research website pole: any comments on the wording etc? How often do you use Google or comparable search engines to search for information you need for your work? • Daily • Sometimes • Never What would you like to change in the meeting room facilities in the Strip? Nothing, it is perfect More rooms Bigger rooms Better support I never use meeting rooms