Questionnaires and surveys

Question 1

CASM task

Answer 1

Comprehension of the question
Retrieval of relevant information
Making judgement
Reporting the answer

Question 2

Not a CASM task

Answer 2

Extrapolating our answer to a similar situation
Discussing your proposed answer with others
Identifying the value of the individual question to the whole survey
Commenting on the grammar of the question

Question 3

Comprehension of the question

Answer 3

Understand the question

Question 4

Retrieval of relevant information

Answer 4

Estimate the number of occurrences in the stated time period

Question 5

Making a judgement

Answer 5

Consider how your response might fit with the response categories offered

Question 6

Reporting the answer

Answer 6

Consider what the researcher will think of your answer

Question 7

What tips would you follow to maximise uninhibited and complete responses in your survey?

Answer 7

Ask one question at a time (rather than using a large matrix grid)
Avoid using negatives in the question
Match the response choices to the key word in the question or item statement

Question 8

Where would you place the following question in your survey?
During the last 30 days how often have you taken cocaine?

Answer 8

Towards the end

Question 9

What tips would increase the likelihood of getting an uninhibited honest response to a survey question about a person’s
sexual behaviour.

Answer 9

Asking the respondent to complete the survey themselves (self-report)
Using a researcher that matched the gender and ethnicity of the participant

Question 10

My survey is designed to nd out about student nurses’ experience of social life while at University. One of the questions in the survey is
written below. Why might this question discourage the student nurses from completing the whole survey?
How much money do your parents earn?

Answer 10

It is an intrusive question and its not immediately relevant to the research question. It will cause some students to stop providing answers and so it would be better to place t the end if you are certain that it is needed

Question 11

What is a true statement about grid (matrix) design questions?

Answer 11

They are more complex than single questions and therefore may be more difcult to understand.
Difculty increases the further away from the stem the item is located.
They tend to produce a greater proportion of extreme responses than single item questions.

Question 12

Agreement scales are often used in surveys but there are some disadvantages. Give two disadvantages and briefly explain them.

Answer 12

Limited nuance:
Forced choice: likert scales often force respondents to choose an option, even if their true feelings lie somewhere in between the provided scale points. Limiting the ability to capture subtle variations in opinions or attitudes.
Loss of Context: Likert scales primarily quantify the direction of sentiment (positive or negative) and its strength , but they don’t inherently explain why a respondent feels that way. For complex topics, the reasons behind an opinion are often as valuable as the opinion itself.

Vulnerability to biases:
Central tendency bias: many respondents have a tendency to avoid extreme responses, gravitating towards the middle options on a Likert scale. This can lead to a clustering of results that doesn’t accurately reflect the true spread of opinions.