Asking Questions

Living and Learning at School Questionnaire (LLSQ)

Twilight Seminar 5 July 2010Mirella Wyra

Flinders University

Living and Learning at School Questionnaire

2007 2008 2009

Year 7 students

Year 8 students

Year 9 students

Year 7 students

Year 8 students

Year 7 students

Year 8 students

Year 9 students

Year 9 students

Year10 students

Year11 students

Year 10 students

extracting information

Using Remark software (and a scanner)• Design• Barcoding• Bubbles

DATABASE

What do we want to find out?

What are the research objectives?LLSQ example

Wellbeing Bullying Coping with bullying Learning Transition from primary school to high school Popularity Coping with schoolwork Coping with homework Friendship Demographics

Wellbeing

Bullying

Coping with bullying

Learning

Transition from primary school to

high school

Popularity

Coping with schoolwork

Coping with homework

Demographics

What needs to be considered?

What do we want to find out via an individual item? = need a clear conceptual idea of what content is to be

measured

Items and Responses

Wording of items Wording of responses

Item presentationInstructions

What needs to be considered? Whom do we

ask?

Who are our participants? Demographic characteristics (age, abilities) Cultural differences (sensitivity) Needs (is support needed)

• Individual differences to consider for: Questionnaire construction Questionnaire length Item complexity Item length

Wording of items Wording of responses

Item presentationInstructions

How will we analyse the data?

Keep this question in mind when designing questionnaire items

Wording of items Wording of responses

Item presentationInstructions

Questionnaire Items

Form• Question

e.g. How many good friends do you have at your primary school?

• Statement e.g. I draw pictures or diagrams to help me understand this subject.

Wording e.g. In the last month, do you think you have had any

emotional or social or behaviour difficulties? Consider possible responses: ‘Yes’ ‘No’

*Caution: if participants don’t understand an item: And answer anyway = invalid data

And don’t respond = less data to analyse

Precise = asking what we want to find out ( e.g. double barrel items; terminology) Simple (avoid difficult words; avoid difficult sentences) Clear = e.g. no double negatives (I don’t like to be not

warm.) Short = is there a more concise way to ask/state

Questionnaire Itemscont.

Questions removed

9a. I set goals that I want to achieve in these two subjects this year

23. Overall, how well did you, or would you, cope with bullying at school?

• (circle one of these letters)• Not very well………………………………..very well• 1…...2…...3.…..4…….5……6……7……8……9

20. Do you know if your school has a policy and grievance procedure to deal with harassment/bullying (Please circle)

Yes unsure no

Questions modified

9 e. If I don’t do well in these subjects I can usually improve by trying harder and making more effort.

NOW: 10. I can get better at this subject if I put in the effort.-------------------------- 9l. I try to match new things that I'm learning to what I

already know in these subjectsNOW: 16. When I’m learning something new in this subject I think

about what I already know about it.--------------------------- 19g. Run away NOW: 60. Get away from the bullies

Questions modified

19g. Run away NOW:

60. Get away from the bullies

Responses

Open ended items• Boxes e.g.

Open-ended items can provide info in participants’ own words (strength)

responses or lack of may reflect different abilities (weakness)

time consuming to analyse (weakness)

ResponsesCont.

Closed ended items• Mutually exclusive

E.g. (0-10; 10-20; 20-30) = overlap• Exhaustive

E.g. 12years old; 13 years old…15 years old Quantifying words (sometimes, often, always) are vague

and should be avoided – use numerical ranges; however… Ordered (strongly disagree…..strongly agree)

• REMEMBER link with the item Closed ended items can provide exact information

needed by researcher Closed ended items are easier to analyse

Response presentation

Appearance Clarity Precision Examples

Wellbeing

Bullying

Coping with bullying

Learning

Transition from primary school to

high school