Chapter 7: Survey Research

Test Bank

Multiple Choice

1. Written, printed, or electronic survey instruments respondents fill out themselves are called ______.

a. surveys

b. questionnaires

c. pretests

d. modes

2. A questionnaire may be received via the following ways with the exception of ______.

a. mail

b. in person

c. telephone

d. internet

3. Which of the following best illustrates the proper steps when conducting survey research?

a. research purpose and research question, sampling plan, distribution, data collection, analysis, and the research question answered

b. sampling plan, research purpose and research question, distribution, data collection, analysis, and the research question answered

c. analysis, research purpose and research question, sampling plan, distribution, data collection, analysis, and the research question answered

d. distribution, data collection, research purpose and research question, sampling plan, analysis, and the research question answered

4. When a survey has been distributed or launched and data is being collected, it is referred to as ______.

a. piloted

b. probed

c. exhaustive

d. fielded

5. ______ occurs when the presence, or behavior of an interviewer or field representative influences the survey participant.

a. Survey fraud

b. Interview bias

c. Respondent burden

d. Recall bias

6. When sample respondents who are from those in the selected sample do not return a survey, this is called ______.

a. survey nonresponse

b. recall bias

c. interview bias

d. survey fraud

7. The proportion of surveys returned relative to the total number of surveys fielded is referred to as a ______.

a. recall bias

b. nonresponse error

c. respondent burden

d. response rate

8. Participants who provide inaccurate or incomplete survey responses because they cannot recall past information or events are creating ______.

a. recall bias

b. nonresponse error

c. respondent burden

d. interviewer bias

9. A pattern of survey questions written so following questions are contingent on the answers to preceding questions is called ______.

a. loaded

b. open-ended

c. skip-and-fill

d. matrix

10. When participants sign-up to be part of a survey panel just for the incentives, it is called ______.

a. nonresponse error

b. recall bias

c. survey fraud

d. survey nonresponse

11. Which of the following survey modes eliminates data entry errors?

a. telephone

b. online

c. mail

d. in person

12. The question “To what extent to you agree or disagree with the following statement?” is an example of which of Dillman’s principles of writing good survey questions?

a. using precise estimates

b. using simple words

c. using as few words as possible

d. using complete sentences

13. The question “In what city do you live?” is an example of which of Dillman’s principles of writing good survey questions?

a. using complete sentences

b. using simple words

c. using unbiased comparisons

d. using balanced response sets

14. The question “Do you favor or oppose allowing firearms to be carried on college campuses?” is an example of which of Dillman’s principles of writing good survey questions?

a. avoiding double negatives

b. avoiding double-barreled questions

c. using accurate wording

d. using strategies to improve recall

15. Use of a matrix question/answer format applies to which of Dillman’s principles?

a. avoid using “choose all that apply” questions

b. use mutually exclusive response sets

c. include both sides of an attitude scale

d. use strategies to improve recall

16. The question “In your view, which of the following is most responsible for juvenile delinquency?” is an example of which of Dillman’s principles of writing good survey questions?

a. use simple words

b. use balanced response sets

c. use unbiased comparison

d. use precise estimates

17. Dillman’s principles for question writing include all of the following with the exception of ______.

a. use unbiased comparison

b. include both sides of an attitude scale

c. provide the option to answer by choosing all that apply

d. provide the option of “undecided” at the end of a response set

18. Statements like, “not at all,” “a few times,” “about once a month,” “2–3 times a week,” “about once a week,” and “more than once a week” are an example of which of Dillman’s principles of writing good survey questions?

a. use complete sentences

b. use simple words

c. use balanced response sets

d. use precise estimates

19. Dillman’s list of principles for writing good survey questions recommends that researchers place the option of “undecided” in which of the following places?

a. at the beginning of the options

b. at the middle of the options

c. at the end of the options

d. opposite of all the options

20. The time and energy the respondent needs to exert to complete a survey is called the ______.

a. survey error

b. respondent burden

c. nonresponse error

d. recall bias

21. Questions that ask about more than one topic per question, making it unclear which question is being answered, are called ______.

a. loaded questions

b. matrix questions

c. close-ended questions

d. double-barreled questions

22. When a question sounds controversial or contains assumptions or opinions, and the respondent is influenced to answer a certain way, this question is called ______.

a. open-ended questions

b. matrix questions

c. loaded questions

d. double-barreled questions

23. Questions including multiple closed-ended questions that share the same response categories are called ______.

a. leading questions

b. double-barreled questions

c. matrix questions

d. open-ended questions

24. Attaining good survey flow is easier when using which of the following survey modes?

a. telephone and online/mobile

b. in person and telephone

c. online/mobile and mail

d. mail and telephone

25. When questionnaires spill over one page, best practices say to print the survey on ______.

a. two 8” x 11” pages

b. one 11” x 17” page

c. two 5” x 8” pages

d. one 8” x 14” page

26. Which of the following survey design and layout strategies is incorrect?

a. ask one question at a time

b. list answer categories horizontally instead of vertically

c. use simple answer boxes for recording of answers

d. use dark print for questions and light print for answers

27. To identify problems with a survey before it is sent to the sample of respondents, researchers use ______.

a. panels

b. pretests

c. qualtrics

d. probing

28. Which of the following survey design and layout strategies is incorrect?

a. ensure the font is large enough to be easily read

b. use longer lines to ensure all of the words end up being asked

c. number questions consecutively and simply, from beginning to end

d. minimize the use of question matrices

29. In order to let participants know if their identities and data are confidential, researchers use ______.

a. surveys

b. questionnaires

c. notification letters

d. pretests

30. Notification letters should include all of the following with the exception of ______.

a. title and purpose of the project

b. the name of the agency or organization sponsoring the project

c. whether incentives will be provided

d. information pertaining to the amount of funding that was secured for the project

31. According to Dillman, when should the final contact reminder be sent via mail?

a. 1 week after notification letters have been sent

b. 2 weeks after notification letters have been sent

c. 4 weeks after notification letters have been sent

d. 8 weeks after notification letters have been sent

32. When does Dillman recommend sending “thank you” postcards to survey respondents?

a. 1 week after completion

b. 2 weeks after completion

c. 4 weeks after completion

d. 8 weeks after completion

33. Coding survey responses and thereby converting them into useful data is called ______.

a. paneling

b. processing

c. probing

d. pretests

34. Which of the following online survey software platforms is considered more difficult to use compared to the other software platforms?

a. SurveyMonkey

b. Qualtrics

c. Github

d. LimeSurvey

35. Being able to “pipe” in text from one question directly into another is a feature of which online survey software?

a. Github

b. Qualtrics

c. SurveyMonkey

d. LimeSurvey

36. Which of the following survey software is considered a free and open source online application?

a. LimeSurvey

b. Qualtrics

c. Github

d. SurveyMonkey

37. Which of the following online survey software is pretty basic and lacks “bells and whistles”?

a. LimeSurvey

b. Qualtrics

c. Github

d. SurveyMonkey

38. Which survey software programs can be more difficult to use than other online programs because it requires having programming skills to fully utilize?

a. Qualtrics

b. LimeSurvey

c. Github

d. SurveyMonkey

39. The best way to ensure gathering useful respondent data is ______.

a. utilizing an online survey software program

b. utilizing more than one survey mode

c. providing incentives for completion

d. pretesting the survey instrument

40. Recommendations for avoiding challenges with obtaining survey responses that provide useful data include those listed below with the exception of ______.

a. avoid jargon and acronyms

b. include several double-barreled questions

c. ensure that response categories are mutually exclusive and exhaustive

d. be sure that font size is at least 12 points

41. To create understandable survey questions, use language at the level of someone in the ______ grade.

a. second

b. eighth

c. tenth

d. twelfth

42. The Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring Program provided an appropriately valued incentive of ______.

a. gift cards

b. cash

c. candy bars

d. clothing

43. When data and information are encoded to prevent unauthorized access, it is ______.

a. coded

b. encrypted

c. processed

d. probed

44. Which of the following scenarios poses an ethical challenge for survey researchers?

a. storing data on encrypted computers

b. providing a large monetary incentive

c. utilizing coffee shops as a meeting place for participants

d. conducting interviews in the middle of the day

45. Conducting a three-month retrospective survey versus a six-month retrospective survey can help prevent ______.

a. recall bias

b. recency effects

c. respondent burden

d. nonresponse

1. According to Dillman’s principles for writing questions, the “undecided” option is best placed at the beginning of the response set.

2. Surveys can gather data that otherwise may not have been gathered by using other data collection methods.

3. Asking a respondent to provide their total household income without giving them a range to choose from could be considered objectionable.

4. Researchers must disclose their procedures for care and custody of data in their Institutional Review Board application.

5. Before consenting to participate in a research project, eligible participants must receive information about it.

6. Incentives are strictly prohibited in survey research.

7. Using response sets that increase a respondent’s ability to provide accurate information is one of Dillman’s principles of writing good survey research questions.

8. Dillman’s principles recommend that researchers include questions that ask respondents to make mathematical calculations.

9. Incentives that are of great value can force someone to choose to participate due to their need for money.

10. Researchers should always encrypt their survey data to protect participant’s information.

11. In order to ensure completion of the survey, it is recommended that online survey questions require a response before a respondent can move to the next question.

12. Consider the time and the place when conducting face-to-face interviews in order to prevent harm.

13. Demographic questions are considered great hooks on self-administered surveys.

14. Survey data can be both confidential and anonymous.

15. Notification letters let someone in a sample know they will soon receive a survey in the mail.

16. Using notification letters has been shown to decrease response rates among respondents.

17. Dillman recommends the survey be disseminated two weeks after the notification correspondence has been sent.

18. QR codes or bar codes can be used to embed confidential information on surveys.

19. Some universities provide students with free access to survey software.

20. Some survey software gives researches the ability to pipe in text from one question to another, streamlining the survey instrument, and creating a dynamic tool that adapts to the participants’ responses.

21. SurveyMonkey, an online survey software program, requires a substantial amount of technical and programming skills in order to create and distribute surveys.

22. LimeSurvey, an online survey software program, is written in HTML.

23. SurveyMonkey, an online survey software program, can only produce close-ended questions.

24. Researchers have found that is it acceptable to carry survey data on a personal laptop.

25. Respondents can easily be surveyed a second time if mistakes are found in the survey instrument.

1. What is survey research?

2. Identify and discuss the two forms of survey research.

3. Identify and discuss the various types of survey modes and the influential factors that can lead to a researcher choosing one over the other.

4. What are the steps in administering a survey?

5. Identify eight of the principles that researchers use to properly word questions.

6. What is confidentiality?

7. What is anonymity?

8. Identify the three most common online survey platforms available today.

9. What are heat map questions?

10. Identify some of the advantages of utilizing online surveys.

1. Why is survey research popular in the social sciences?

2. Do you believe that online and mobile surveys will eventually replace all other survey modes? Why or why not?

3. Review Dillman’s list of principles for writing survey questions. Choose 3–5 principles and write questions that adhere to those principles. Was it challenging to write good survey questions? Why or why not?

4. After having read about the various characteristics of the survey software programs, take some time to navigate the online tools. In your opinion, which online tool was the easiest to use, and why?

5. After reading Chapter 7, you should have a comprehensive understanding of the elements required to construct an effective survey. Utilizing what you have learned about survey research, construct your own survey. You may use Dillman’s principles as a guide to constructing good questions and if your university provides free access to online survey software, you may use that as well.