Social Research Methods Alan Bryman Social Research Methods Chapter 10: Self-administered questionnaires

What is a self-administered questionnaire? Also called a self-completion questionnaire No interviewer present Respondent writes answers on form Returned to researcher or deposited for collection Usually postal questionnaires Can be distributed in person or by email Page 221 2

Comparing self-completion questionnaires and structured interviews Self-completion questionnaires tend to: have fewer open questions have easier to follow designs be shorter, to reduce ‘respondent fatigue’ Page 222 3

Self-completion questionnaires have advantages….. Cheaper and quicker to administer (to widely dispersed populations) No interviewer variability Convenience for respondents Page 222

….but many disadvantages Cannot probe or prompt Can only ask salient questions Few open-ended or complex questions Respondent can see the whole questionnaire before answering (question order effects) Cannot ensure that the ‘right’ person answers Cannot collect additional data Respondent fatigue if too many questions Excludes people with limited literacy skills Greater risk of missing data Lower response rates Pages 223 and 224 5

Tips to improve response rates to postal questionnaires: Since response rates are relatively low there is a risk of sample bias; a rate of 60%+ is needed to be acceptable (Mangione,1995). Response rates can be improved by: Writing a good covering letter Including a stamped addressed envelope Issuing reminders Using shorter questionnaires Give clear instructions Using a layout attractive to the respondent Use few open-ended questions Providing monetary incentives Page 225 and 226 6

Tips on designing a self-completion questionnaire: Use an uncluttered layout neither too short and cramped nor too long and bulky Aim for clear presentation variety of font sizes, bold print, italics, and CAPITAL letters can be used but be consistent! Page 226 7

Arrange fixed answers vertically Because this makes the questionnaire less confusing to read Because questions can be distinguished from answers Because the respondent is less likely to make a mistake Because the questionnaire is easier to pre-code Pages 226 and 227 8

Give clear instructions about how to respond how to indicate choice of answer: a tick, a circle, an underline…..? if more than one answer can be given: sometimes you might want the respondent to select a number of possibilities from a list. Page 228 9

Keep questions and answers together Never spread a question over two pages Locate the answers alongside each corresponding question, particularly for questions involving Likert scales Page 229

Formatting a Likert scale In the next set of questions, you are presented with a statement. You are being asked to indicate your level of agreement or disagreement with each statement by indicating whether you: Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), are Undecided (U), Disagree (D), or Strongly Disagree (SD). Please indicate your level of agreement by circling the appropriate response. 23. My job is like a hobby to me. SA A U D SD 24. My job is usually interesting enough to keep me from getting bored. SA A U D SD 25. It seems that my friends are more interested in their jobs. 26. I enjoy my work more than my leisure time. Tips and skills Page 228

Online social surveys There has been a huge growth in online administration of surveys. They come in different forms Email Surveys -Embedded – in the body of an email – using x or deleting alternatives, typing in answers etc. Easy to manage, higher response rate than attached survey -Attached – as an email attachment and the email explains it – again respondents type answers. Possibilities in terms of appearance Web surveys -Respondents are invited to visit a website where the questionnaire can be completed. It can be widely embellished in appearance, filter questions can be used, answers can be programmed to download into a database eliminating the coding aspect Page 229 - 231

Online social surveys There has been a huge growth in online administration of surveys. They come in different forms: Email Surveys Embedded – in the body of an email – using x or deleting alternatives, typing in answers etc. Easy to manage, higher response rate than attached survey Attached – as an email attachment and the email explains it – again respondents type answers. Possibilities in terms of appearance Web surveys Respondents are invited to visit a website where the questionnaire can be completed. It can be widely embellished in appearance, filter questions can be used, answers can be programmed to download into a database eliminating the coding Page 229 - 231

Using mobile phones for self-administered questionnaires Share characteristics with web surveys. Surveys need to be adapted to fit the screen etc May result in a lower response rate than using a computer and fewer words written Tablets may be another viable option Text methods can be employed Pages 231 and 232 14

Mixed mode surveys They entail the use of two or more modes of administering a survey ie. an interview and a self-administered questionnaire. The use of email and particular web surveys has increased possibilities for mixed mode research Researchers need to be aware of possible mode effects Dillman et al. (2014) proposed making question and response formats and visual appearance as similar as possible across modes to reduce mode effects Pages 232 - 234 15

A diary study to examine gender and time use Gershuny and Sullivan (2014) studied the ways in which the experience of domestic time is gendered: The diaries recorded the amount of time spent by household members on particular activities The diary method enabled Sullivan to show the differences between men and women regarding the performance of certain tasks and the proportion of their time spent on doing tasks together. Research in focus 10.2 Page 239 16

Guidelines for preparing a diary for quantitative research Corti (1993) provide clear instructions for respondents about how to complete diary and how often include model of a completed diary entry provide checklist of items, events or behaviours to include in each entry show blocks of time in columns Page 239 17

Evaluating diaries as a form of self-completion questionnaire Advantages precise estimates of time spent on activities (valid, reliable data) shows chronological order of events useful for personal or sensitive issues Disadvantages cost of producing diaries and monitoring completion boredom, fatigue and attrition failure to record details selective inclusion of events Page 240 18