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Designing Quality Survey Questions
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Designing Quality Survey Questions

Second Edition
October 2024 | 272 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
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This text shows readers how to craft precisely worded survey questions with appropriate response options that provide useful data to help answer research questions. The authors offer guidance on creative approaches to question design to keep respondents engaged, consider different survey administration modes, outline practices for culturally responsive survey design, discuss current language considerations for demographic questions, and consider factors that can influence survey responses. The Second Edition offers more detail about survey question design and includes more on rating scales and open-ended questions. It provides more guidance on cultural responsiveness and equity considerations including use of inclusive language, how to survey youth, and a deeper discussion on asking questions about sex and gender and disability.

 
Chapter 1 • WHY Quality Surveys and Questions Matter
What Is a Quality Survey?

 
Why Does Quality Matter?

 
Why Do We Need a Purposeful Survey Design Process?

 
Applying Design Thinking to Survey Research

 
A Purposeful Survey Design Process

 
An Iterative Process

 
 
Part I • WHAT to Consider Before Drafting Survey Questions
Purposeful Survey Design

 
 
Chapter 2 • Planning and Predrafting
Why Survey? The Importance of Establishing Purpose

 
What Will Be Measured? Understanding Constructs and Indicators

 
Wait, Do You Really Need a Survey?

 
What Can Be Measured With a Survey?

 
What Are the Advantages and Limitations of Surveys?

 
 
Chapter 3 • Understanding Respondents
Cognitive Tasks Involved in Answering Questions

 
Respondent Willingness and Ability to Participate in a Survey

 
Context and Culture

 
 
Part II • HOW to Develop Survey Questions and Response Options
Purposeful Survey Design

 
 
Chapter 4 • Sourcing and Crafting Questions
Sourcing Survey Questions

 
Composing Question Stems

 
Avoiding Problematic Wording and Question Types

 
Open-Ended Questions

 
What to Do When You Have Too Many Open-Ended Questions

 
Closed-Ended Questions

 
Questions With Special Purposes

 
 
Chapter 5 • Constructing Response Options
Determining Appropriate Response Options

 
Strategies for Designing Response Options

 
 
Chapter 6 • Demographic and Other Sensitive Questions
Sensitive Questions

 
Demographic Questions

 
 
Part III • Knowing WHEN a Survey Is Ready for Use
Purposeful Survey Design

 
 
Chapter 7 • Finalizing Questions and Using Pretesting Strategies
Why Pretest Surveys and Their Questions?

 
How Can Surveys and Their Questions Be Tested Prior to Use?

 
 
Chapter 8 • Pulling It All Together to Maximize Response
Survey Instructions

 
Order Effects

 
Formatting the Survey

 
Contacting Potential Respondents

 
Planning for Administration

 
 
Appendix: Checklist for Quality Question Design
 
Glossary
 
References
 
Index
Key features

Key features include:

  • “Design Details” focus the reader on especially salient topics in the design process.
  • “Real-World Questions” are examples of poorly constructed questions and inadequate response options and scales culled from real surveys.
  • “Stories From the Field” provide real-world experiences for the reader collected from practitioners who share lessons learned about survey design.
  • “Mini-Interviews” provide insight from expert practitioners on key survey design topics.
  • “Design Drills” offer exercises that challenge the reader and support application of the chapter material.

New to the Second Edition:

More on survey question design, more on rating scales and open-ended questions.
More guidance on cultural responsiveness and equity considerations including use of inclusive language.
More on how to survey youth.
A deeper discussion on asking questions about sex and gender and disability.


Sample Materials & Chapters

Robinson_2e_01

Robinson_2e_02

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