SC974-7-SP-CO:
Survey Measurement and Question Design
2023/24
Sociology and Criminology
Colchester Campus
Spring
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Monday 15 January 2024
Friday 22 March 2024
20
26 May 2023
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
MSC L31012 Survey Methods for Social Research,
MSC L310MO Survey Methods for Social Research
This module focuses on theoretical and practical tools for developing and writing survey questions and constructing questionnaires. The major emphasis is on how to construct individual survey questions and then put them together into a questionnaire. Topics include sources of survey error, response theories, visual design, open-ended questions, nominal and ordinal closed ended questions, mode issues, pretesting, and implementation. The course will consist of lectures, readings, discussion, and assignments. Throughout the course, students will apply what they are learning to the development of a questionnaire and implementation materials and will have opportunities to receive feedback on their questionnaire. The primary objective of this course is for each student to obtain and be able to demonstrate a full working knowledge of the science (concepts, theory, and empirical research) of questionnaire design.
The primary objective of this course is for each student to obtain and be able to demonstrate a full working knowledge of the science (concepts, theory, and empirical research) of questionnaire design.
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
Demonstrate an understanding of the theoretical basis of survey measurement and measurement error;
Identify appropriate survey design strategies for a range of measurement challenges;
Understand the stages of completing a useful and appropriate survey.
Design a questionnaire
Lecture 11 – Introduction to survey measurement and measurement error
Lecture 12 – Developing new questions
Lecture 13 – Behaviours and events: Retrieval and estimation
Lecture 14 – Attitudes (I): Questions and response effects
Reading Week
Lecture 15 – Attitudes (II): Response scales; demographic and knowledge questions
Lecture 16 – Editing: Sensitive questions; questionnaire structure
Lecture 17 – Testing survey questions
Lecture 18 – Web-designed questionnaires
Lecture 19 – Paper self-administered and interviewer-administered questionnaires
This module will be taught by a team of researchers from ISER:
• Pablo Cabrera Álvarez (pcabre@essex.ac.uk), convenor.
• Dr. Tarek Al Baghal, (talbag@essex.ac.uk), 2N2.4.26.
• Dr. Violetta Parutis, (vparutis@essex.ac.uk), 2N2.6.15.
Most modules at postgraduate level in Sociology are taught as a 2hr seminar. Most classes, labs and seminars will be taught face-to-face (assuming social distancing allows this). There may also be some online activities – either timetabled as a live online session or available on Moodle in the form of pre-recorded videos. You will be expected to watch this material and engage with any suggested activities before your seminar/class each week.
Please note that you should be spending up to ten hours per week undertaking your own private study (reading, preparing for classes or assignments, etc.) on each of your modules (e.g. 30 hours in total for three 20--credit modules).
You are strongly encouraged to attend the classes/seminars as they provide an opportunity to talk with your class teacher and other students. The classes/seminars will be captured and available via Listen Again. However, if you want to gain the most you can from these seminars/classes it is very important that you attend and engage. Please note that the recording of seminars/classes is at the discretion of the teacher.
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Bradburn, N.M.
et al. (2020e)
Asking Questions. 2nd Edition. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons Inc. Available at:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=184452.
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Fowler, F.J. (1995d) Improving survey questions: design and evaluation. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
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Edith Desirée de Leeuw, J. J. Hox and Don A. Dillman (2008b)
International handbook of survey methodology. New York, NY: Lawrence Erlbaum. Available at:
http://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9780203843123.
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Nora Cate Schaeffer and Elizabeth Thomson (1992b) ‘The Discovery of Grounded Uncertainty: Developing Standardized Questions about Strength of Fertility Motivation’,
Sociological Methodology, 22, pp. 37–82. Available at:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/270992?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents.
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Van Deth, J.W. (2014b) ‘A conceptual map of political participation’,
Acta Politica, 49(3), pp. 349–367. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1057/ap.2014.6.
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Lars Lyberg (1997c)
Survey measurement and process quality. New York: Wiley. Available at:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=1011367.
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Roger Tourangeau, Lance J. Rips and Kenneth A. Rasinski (2000b)
The psychology of survey response. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Available at:
https://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511819322.
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Norbert Schwarz (2009b)
Cognition and communication: judgmental biases, research methods, and the logic of conversation. New York: Psychology Press. Available at:
https://doi-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/10.4324/9781315805887.
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Scot Burton and Edward Blair (1991b) ‘Task Conditions, Response Formulation Processes, and Response Accuracy for Behavioral Frequency Questions in Surveys’,
The Public Opinion Quarterly, 55(1), pp. 50–79. Available at:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/2749141?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents.
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Norbert Schwarz, Hans-J. Hippler, Brigitte Deutsch and Fritz Strack (1985b) ‘Response Scales: Effects of Category Range on Reported Behavior and Comparative Judgments’,
The Public Opinion Quarterly, 49(3), pp. 388–395. Available at:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/2748649?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents.
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Norbert Schwarz, Fritz Strack and Hans-Peter Mai (1991b) ‘Assimilation and Contrast Effects in Part-Whole Question Sequences: A Conversational Logic Analysis’,
The Public Opinion Quarterly, 55(1), pp. 3–23. Available at:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/2749139?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents.
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Seymour Sudman, Norman M. Bradburn and Norbert Schwarz (1996) ‘Order effects within a question’, in Thinking about answers: the application of cognitive processes to survey methodology. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
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Jon A. Krosnick and Leandre R. Fabrigar (1997a) ‘Designing rating scales for effective measurement in surveys’, in
Survey measurement and process quality. New York: Wiley, pp. 141–164. Available at:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=1011367.
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Norbert Schwarz, Bärbel Knäuper, Hans-J. Hippler, Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann and Leslie Clark (1991b) ‘Rating Scales: Numeric Values May Change the Meaning of Scale Labels’,
The Public Opinion Quarterly, 55(4), pp. 570–582. Available at:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/2749407?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents.
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Gordon B. Willis (1999a) ‘Cognitive Interviewing: A “How To” Guide’. Available at:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/241686481_Cognitive_Interviewing.
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Lilli Japec (2008) ‘Interviewer error and interviewer burden.’, in
Advances in telephone survey methodology. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, pp. 187–211. Available at:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=331435.
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Cleo Redline
et al. (2003) ‘Improving navigational performance in U.S. Census by altering the visual languages of branching instructions’,
Journal of Official Statistics, 19(4), pp. 403–419. Available at:
https://www.scb.se/contentassets/ca21efb41fee47d293bbee5bf7be7fb3/improving-navigational-performance-in-u.s.-census-2000-by-altering-the-visually-administered-languages-of-branching-instructions.pdf.
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Don A. Dillman, Arina Gertseva and Taj Mahon-Haft (2005) ‘Achieving usability in establishment surveys through the application of visual design principles’,
Journal of Official Statistics, 21(5), pp. 183–214. Available at:
https://www.scb.se/contentassets/ca21efb41fee47d293bbee5bf7be7fb3/achieving-usability-in-establishment-surveys-through-the-application-of-visual-design-principles.pdf.
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Jon A. Krosnick and Leandre R. Fabrigar (1997b) ‘Designing rating scales for effective measurement in surveys’, in
Survey measurement and process quality. New York: Wiley, pp. 141–164. Available at:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=1011367.
-
Gordon B. Willis (1999b) ‘Cognitive Interviewing: A "How To” Guide.’ Available at:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/241686481_Cognitive_Interviewing.
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's
reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Class participation |
|
5% |
| Coursework |
Analysis Plan |
|
20% |
| Coursework |
Developing New Questions |
|
30% |
| Coursework |
Formatted Questionnaire |
|
45% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Pablo Cabrera Alvarez, email: pcabre@essex.ac.uk.
Dr Pablo Cabrera Alvarez (ISER)
socpgtad@essex.ac.uk
Yes
No
Yes
Prof Benjamin Bradford
University College London
Professor
Available via Moodle
Of 18 hours, 18 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
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