PSC 107: Survey and Questionnaire Research Methods

Prof. Gregory Herek
Spring, 2008

Weekly topics, assignments, and other course materials

About the Course

Asking questions – in self-administered questionnaires, in telephone and face-to-face interviews, and on the internet – is one of the primary research strategies employed by psychologists and other behavioral and social scientists. Asking good questions has often been assumed to be more art than science. However, an extensive scientific literature exists on how to ask questions and how to understand responses to them. In the past two decades, knowledge in this area has accumulated rapidly as a consequence of advances in cognitive science and improvements in survey technology.

This course will provide students with an extensive introduction to survey and questionnaire research methods with a special emphasis on how to ask questions. Students will be introduced to empirical research and theory on the cognitive, motivational, and social processes that influence how respondents answer questions. They will gain an understanding of the practical implications of these processes by designing their own survey instrument in stages throughout the term, and presenting successive versions of it to the class for feedback and discussion. Students will also be introduced to ethical and practical considerations in fielding survey and questionnaire studies. Through in-class and homework assignments, students will learn how to use relevant Internet resources for survey and questionnaire research.

Texts

• Bradburn, N. M., Sudman, S., & Wansink, B. (2004). Asking questions: The definitive guide to questionnaire design (Rev. ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. (ISBN: 9780787970888) ($40.00)

• OPTIONAL: Dillman, D. A. (2007). Mail and internet surveys: The tailored design method (2nd ed., 2007 update). New York: Wiley. (ISBN: 047003856-X) ($75.00)

• Selected journal articles and chapters may also be assigned (available at the library, on the web, or through campus photocopying service).

Prerequisites

• Advanced undergraduate standing in psychology or the social or biological sciences
• Completion of PSC 1 and PSC 41 (or an equivalent undergraduate research methods course)

Course Topics (may be modified as the seminar progresses)

1. The psychology of survey and questionnaire response: Cognitive, motivational, and social processes.
2. Asking questions about behavior and knowledge.
3. Asking questions about attitudes and other subjective phenomena.
4. Visual versus spoken presentation of questions.
5. Data collection modes: Personal interviews; telephone surveys; mail surveys and other self-administered, paper-based questionnaires; internet surveys.
6. Closed vs. open-ended question formats.
7. Response formats, rankings vs. ratings.
8. Context effects: Item order, response order.
9. Visual presentation of questionnaire items: Layout and design.
10. Asking questions about sensitive topics.
11. Acquiescence and social desirability in responding.
12. Ethical issues in survey and questionnaire research.
13. Implementing the survey or questionnaire.
14. Embedding experiments in surveys.
15. Introduction to Internet databases of public opinion items and survey data sets.
    

Grading will be based on:

• Satisfactory completion of class exercises and homework assignments
• Consistent participation in class discussions and peer critiques
• Class presentations of individual questionnaire project
• Final individual questionnaire project
• Final exam

Contact Information and Office Hours

• For Professor Herek
• Office Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays 1:10 - 1:50 pm and by appointment
  
• Office: 271 Young Hall
  
• Phone: 530-752-8085
  
• E-mail: .
  To expedite your e-mail, please include "PSC 107" in the subject line.

• For Mr. Sims
• Office Hours: Mondays & Tuesdays 10:30 am - 11:30 am, and by appointment
  
• Office: 189 Young Hall
  
• Phone: 530-754-8300
  
• E-mail: