Questionnaire Design for Social Surveys

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/questionnaire-design

Introduction

**Course Review: Questionnaire Design for Social Surveys** In the ever-evolving field of social research, the importance of effective questionnaire design cannot be overstated. The course "Questionnaire Design for Social Surveys" on Coursera provides a comprehensive understanding of the crucial elements involved in creating and evaluating questionnaires. Whether you're a seasoned researcher, a budding social scientist, or simply someone interested in gathering data effectively, this course promises valuable insights and practical skills. ### Course Overview The course delves into various aspects of questionnaire design, highlighting not only the theoretical underpinnings but also the practical techniques necessary for crafting effective survey instruments. Participants will learn about the process of responding to questions, explore the types of questions that can be used, and tackle the challenges that often arise when asking about behavioral frequencies. Moreover, it discusses mode-specific questionnaire characteristics and various methods for conducting standardized and conversational interviews. ### Syllabus Breakdown The course syllabus is thoughtfully structured to guide learners through the complex world of survey design: 1. **Introduction and Unit 1: Overview of Standardized Interviewing** - This unit provides an introduction to standardized and conversational interviewing. It covers the different types of questions and addresses measurement errors, biases, and variances that can affect data quality. Understanding how to formulate questions that accurately capture concepts is a critical first step in questionnaire design. 2. **Unit 2: Response Process** - Here, participants will explore the cognitive processes involved in responding to questions, including comprehension, retrieval, judgment, and response. This unit emphasizes the importance of understanding how respondents think and react to survey questions. 3. **Unit 3: Asking Factual Questions** - Focuses on the intricacies of asking factual and sensitive questions while addressing memory and recall challenges. This unit also discusses privacy, confidentiality, and how different modes of data collection can impact response accuracy. 4. **Unit 4: Measuring Attitudes** - This unit examines the complexities of measuring respondent attitudes. Participants will learn about context effects, various scaling methods, and how to effectively incorporate "don’t know" options and manage response order effects. 5. **Unit 5: Testing Questionnaires** - Testing and refining questionnaires is vital to ensuring the quality and reliability of data. This unit reviews techniques such as expert reviews, focus groups, cognitive interviews, behavior coding, and quantitative evaluation methods. 6. **Unit 6: Putting It All Together** - The final unit synthesizes all the knowledge gained throughout the course. It covers the entire questionnaire creation process from inception to implementation, including practical tips for layout and self-administered questionnaires. ### Recommendation The "Questionnaire Design for Social Surveys" course is ideal for those looking to deepen their understanding of survey methodology and enhance their research skills. The structured approach, combined with practical applications, makes it accessible for beginners, while also offering valuable insights for experienced researchers. Not only does this course equip participants with the necessary tools to design effective questionnaires, but it also fosters a critical mindset that encourages careful consideration of how data is collected and interpreted. With a blend of theoretical knowledge and hands-on techniques, I highly recommend this course to anyone involved in social research, survey administration, or even those curious about the art and science of asking questions effectively. Invest in your understanding of questionnaire design and elevate the quality of your research with this outstanding course on Coursera!

Syllabus

Introduction and Unit 1: Overview of Standardized Interviewing

Introduction; Different types of questions, Measurement error in questions: Bias and variance; Standardized and conversational interviewing; From specifying a concept to asking questions

Comprehension; Retrieval; Judgment; Response

Facts and quasi facts; Memory and recall; Asking sensitive questions; Mode, privacy and confidentiality

Context effects in attitude questions; Use of different scales; Offering don’t know options; Response order effects

Expert reviews and focus groups; Cognitive interviews; Behavior coding; Quantitative techniques

The questionnaire from start to finish; Things to put at the end; Mode Choice: Implementations for layout; Self-administered questionnaires