1. Copyright ©2011 Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning Sampling: Surveys and How to Ask Questions 1

2. Copyright ©2011 Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning 2 5.6How to Ask Survey Questions Deliberate bias: The wording of a question can deliberately bias the responses toward a desired answer. Unintentional bias: Questions can be worded such that the meaning is misinterpreted by a large percentage of the respondents. Desire to Please: Respondents have a desire to please the person who is asking the question. Tend to understate response to an undesirable social habit/opinion. Possible Sources of Response Bias in Surveys

3. Copyright ©2011 Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning 3 Asking the Uninformed: People do not like to admit that they don’t know what you are talking about when you ask them a question. Unnecessary Complexity: If questions are to be understood, they must be kept simple. Some questions ask more than one question at once. Ordering of Questions: If one question requires respondents to think about something that they may not have otherwise considered, then the order in which questions are presented can change the results. Possible Sources of Response Bias in Surveys (cont)

4. Copyright ©2011 Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning 4 Confidentiality and Anonymity: People will often answer questions differently based on the degree to which they believe they are anonymous. Easier to ensure confidentiality, promise not to release identifying information, than anonymity, researcher does not know the identity of the respondents. Possible Sources of Response Bias in Surveys (cont)

5. Examples of Biased Questions Should we reduce violent crime by getting guns off the streets? With all domestic disputes end with gun fire, do you think there should be legislation passed to hinder gun ownership? Do you think it is right to get an abortion if it is the only way to save the mother’s life. Copyright ©2011 Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning 5

6. Problems in the following survey questions How much confidence do you have in President Obama to handle domestic and foreign policy? Do you favor or oppose not allowing gays and lesbians to legally marry? Do you agree that JIT inventory system helps save the cost? Copyright ©2011 Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning 6

7. Problems in the following survey questions How often do you go to Church? How often do you consume alcohol? Do you vote on a regular basics? Copyright ©2011 Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning 7

8. Compare the following pairs of survey questions Do you favor making it legal for doctors to give terminally ill patients the means to end their lives? VS Do you favor making it legal for doctors to assist terminally ill patients in committing suicide Copyright ©2011 Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning 8

9. Compare the following pairs of survey questions Do you favor or oppose taking military action in Iraq to end Saddam Hussein’s rule? VS Do you favor or oppose taking military action in Iraq to end Saddam Hussein’s rule even if it meant that U.S. forces might suffer thousands of casualties. Copyright ©2011 Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning 9

10. 10 Be Sure You Understand What Was Measured: Words can have different meanings. Important to get a precise definition of what was actually asked or measured. E.g. Who is really unemployed? Some Concepts Are Hard to Precisely Define: E.g. How to measure intelligence? Measuring Attitudes and Emotions: E.g. How to measure self-esteem and happiness?

11. Copyright ©2011 Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning 11 Open or Closed Questions: Should Choices Be Given? Open question = respondents allowed to answer in own words. Closed question = given list of alternatives, usually offer choice of “other” and can fill in blank. If closed are preferred, they should first be presented as open questions (in a pilot survey) for establishing list of choices. Results can be difficult to summarize. Problems with Open Questions

12. Copyright ©2011 Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning 12 Case Study 5.2 No Opinion of Your Own? Let Politics Decide 1978 Poll, Cincinnati, Ohio: people asked whether they “favored or opposed repealing the 1975 Public Affairs Act.” No such act, about one-third expressed opinion. 1995 Washington Post Poll: 1000 randomly selected people asked “Some people say the 1975 Public Affairs Act should be repealed. Do you agree or disagree that it should be repealed?” 43% expressed opinion, 24% agreeing should be repealed.

13. Copyright ©2011 Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning 13 Case Study 5.2 No Opinion of Your Own? Let Politics Decide (cont) Second 1995 Washington Post Poll: polled two separate groups of 500 randomly selected adults. Group 1: “President Clinton [a Democrat] said that the 1975 Public Affairs Act should be repealed. Do you agree or disagree?” Of those expressing an opinion: 36% of the Democrats agreed should be repealed, 16% of the Republicans agreed should be repealed. Group 2: “The Republicans in Congress said that the 1975 Public Affairs Act should be repealed. Do you agree or disagree?” Of those expressing an opinion: 36% of the Republicans agreed should be repealed, 19% of the Democrats agreed should be repealed.

14. Homework Assignment: Type-Written Chapter 5 Exercise 5.68. 5.69 and 5.70 Reading: Chapter 5 – p. 170-177