Over the last few decades, survey research has witnessed a number of developments that have affected the quality of data that emerge using this methodology. Using the total survey error (TSE) approach as a point of departure, this article documents chronic challenges to data quality. With the aim of facilitating assessments of data quality, this article then turns to best practices in the disclosure of survey findings based on probability and nonprobability samples. Finally, (p)reviewing the use of technology and social media, it provides an overview of the opportunities and challenges for survey research today.
Some form of bias is present in most survey res. The presence of such bias, however, while strongly affecting the marginal distribution of responses may not have any effect upon the interrelationship of variables. In an attempt to examine the effect of biased sampling upon interrelationships, comparisons are made between R's & non-R's on panel surveys. While the R's are found to differ from the non-R's on such variables as educ & interest, a comparison of the interrelationship between educ, interest & other variables is found to be the same for the R & non-R samples. In general, where variables are independently related to the source of bias, the use of the biased or unbiased data will show the same interrelationships between these variables & other variables. However, if the bias is differentially distributed,eg over-or-under-representation of any 1 cell or any pair of diagonal cells, then the test of the hypothesis may be affected. A similar analysis can also be made for question bias; whereas a biased question will affect the marginal distribution of responses, it may not affect the direction of the relationship of this question to other questions. The suggested model for the analysis of bias offered is based upon the general model for the analysis of intervening variables, with the bias being viewed as a manifest index of some meaningful underlying variable. The use of this model permits one to analyze biased samples, instruments, etc by controlling the bias as an intervening variable. It even suggests the possibility of making use of deliberately biased samples & instruments in special cases. AA.
This research note describes the use of vignettes in the author's current survey of beliefs about family obligations, and discusses the potential of the technique for eliciting survey data of a normative kind. Comparisons are made between different ways of using vignettes in British and American surveys concerned with beliefs and norms.
Questioned are the net results of the geographic knowledge survey commissioned by the National Geographic Society in 1988, which revealed widespread geographical ignorance among US citizens. It is argued that the survey was prematurely confirmatory, & that it suffered from an inattention to the meaning of its questions with reference to the process of knowing. Drawing on environmental psychology, it is further contended that geographic mental images, which bear only a functional equivalence to cartographic images, should be empirically examined, not in terms of cartography (as was done in this survey), but in terms of mental representation processes. 25 References. W. Howard
The question has often been explored as to whether the order in which possible answers to attitude questions are presented affects responses. Data from a study by F. M. Carp ("Position Effects on Interview Responses," Journal of Gerontology, 1974, 29, 581-587) are reanalyzed, showing that the order effects found were not of substantive significance. Data from a survey of 1,332 Ms, ages sixty & older, living in Iowa, who were sent a questionnaire having two forms with differing order of response options on selected questions, showed no substantive differences in responses on either single-item indicators or scales. This suggests that continued attention to serial order preference in surveys is not needed. 2 Tables. Modified HA.
