Testing Political Knowledge: Should Knowledge Questions Use Two Response Categories or Four?
In: International journal of public opinion research, Volume 15, Issue 2, p. 192-200
ISSN: 0954-2892
Emphasis is on knowledge gained during political campaigns with the increase of the electorate's political attention. Campaigns offer voters a chance to make decisions about the public interest, with candidates voicing their positions on the pertinent issues. Explored here is the matter of how questions measuring citizens' knowledge of candidates' issue positions ought to be posed. Findings indicate that researchers can inquire about two candidates within one question rather than seeking separate answers for single candidates. Drawing on survey data from the 2000 US presidential election, two strategies for posing questions are evaluated: the separated format & the combined format. 2 Tables, 1 Figure, 8 References. K. Coddon