The Complete Design

Data Collection Methods Part Three

Designing Questionnaires

• Print questionnaires as a booklet• No questions on the front or back covers• Put most important and topic-related

questions at the beginning• Put potentially objectionable questions near

the end• Place personal (demographic) questions last• Create sections of questions based on content• Within sections group questions of similar type

together• Create a vertical flow of questions

Questionnaire DesignClass: What do you observe?

Household Survey Design

Activity Diary Design

Implementing Mail Surveys• Advance letter• The survey packet• First follow-up• Second follow-up

Mailing List Management

The Advance Letter• Personalized and signed in ink• Mailed one week before the

survey packet• Tells people that the

questionnaire is coming• Briefly states why the survey is

being done• Explains that participation will

be greatly appreciated

The Survey Packet• One week after advance letter• Personalized cover letter • Survey instrument• Business reply envelope• Project synopsis and informed

consent form

The Cover Letter

• Extremely Important• Personalized and signed in ink• The cover letter explains:

– What the study is about– Why the recipient’s participation is

important– Promises confidentiality– Describes usefulness of the study– Notes reward for participation– Provides a point-of-contact for questions

Informed Consent• Required when Federal funds

are used• Informed consent is a

mandatory and integral component of research involving human subjects

• See the UCSB site: http://research.ucsb.edu/connect/pro/prs1.shtml

• Human subjects may not be involved in research prior to providing and obtaining informed consent from each

Basic Elements of Informed Consent

• A point of contact (include name, address and phone number)

• The purpose of the study and a clear explanation of what the respondent will be required to do

• An explanation of any risks or discomforts the subject may experience

• A statement describing any benefits to the subjects or potential benefits to society.

• Clearly describe how confidentiality will be maintained.• A statement informing participants their participation is

"voluntary" and they may decline to answer specific questions AND withdraw their participation at anytime without penalty.

• A statement informing subjects the amount of time that will be required for their participation.

SEE ALSO: http://research.ucsb.edu/connect/pro/procon3.shtml

Follow-up Mailings

• First follow-up mailing– Mailed to all members of the sample about 1 week

after survey packet is mailed– Postcard thanking those that have already

responded and a gentle nudge to those that have not

• Second follow-up mailing– Mailed to non-respondents about 3 weeks after

survey packet– Cover letter states that you have not yet received

their questionnaire– Includes complete survey packet

Survey Activity Management

Take Home Lessons• Appeal directly to the subjects• Use appropriate language• Make the questionnaire as easy

to complete as possible• Good follow-up is imperative

CENTRESIM SURVEYSpecific Elements

Design PrinciplesDillman’s Tailored Design Method (based

on his Total Design Method:• Establish trust with the respondent

(e.g., provide a token of appreciation in advance, make the task appear important, show sponsorship by legitimate authority);

• Increase the respondents’ expectation of receiving a reward from participation (e.g., show positive regard, say thank you, give tangible rewards, make questionnaires interesting); and

• Reduce the social costs to the respondent (e.g., avoid subordinating language, make the questionnaire short and easy, and minimize requests for personal information)

Design Principles from KONTIV and Travel Behavior Research

• The researcher should design the survey for the respondents;

• Survey instruments should be written in simple language and be easy to understand and complete;

• The research should establish trust with the respondents;

• Respondents should receive a reward from participation;

• The costs to the respondent should be minimized; and

• The day-planner booklet format is the most useful design for activity diaries

Household Questionnaire & Activity Diary• A cover letter describing the project and the

purpose of the survey. It also provided a point of contact for additional information about the survey.

• A “Project Synopsis and Informed Consent Form,” as required by federal regulations, providing a point of contact for questions about the survey, describes the purpose of the survey, explaining any risks and/or benefits of participation, describing the confidentiality procedures, and indicating that the survey is voluntary.

• The questionnaire (survey instrument) was used to collect the data necessary for the study. It is in booklet form and designed to minimize the effort required on the part of the respondent. The majority of questions were “close-ended.”

• A business reply envelope was included in the packet to facilitate return of the completed survey forms.

• Contest Flyer describing the lottery (see below) and a contest entry card.

The Activity Diary• Modified day-planner format• Open-ended answers• Respondent choice of detail• Four different formats for:

– Employed (full- or part-time) outside the home–White cover

– Not employed outside the home–Peach cover

– Children age 18 and under–Blue cover

– University students–Blue cover

What to work on…

• Continue survey design

• Tomorrow we DO have lecture. It will be on attitudes and personality questions.