research methods in politics 10

Research Methods in Politics ChaptResearch Methods in Politics Chapter 10er 10

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Research Methods in Research Methods in PoliticsPolitics

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QuestionnairesQuestionnaires


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Teaching and Learning ObjectivesTeaching and Learning Objectives

1.1. to understand the special to understand the special characteristics of questionnaires and characteristics of questionnaires and where they are best usedwhere they are best used

2.2. to consider how questionnaires should to consider how questionnaires should be structured, designed, tested and be structured, designed, tested and codedcoded

3.3. to discuss how questionnaires can best to discuss how questionnaires can best be ‘administered’be ‘administered’

4.4. to discuss issues of personal safetyto discuss issues of personal safety


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Our researchers with Public Opinion are contentThat he held the proper opinions for the time of the year;When there was peace, he was for peace;When there was war, he went.

W. H. Auden (1940) The Unknown Citizen


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QuestionnairesQuestionnaires

pre-designed lists of closed questions with pre-designed lists of closed questions with pre-designated alternative answerspre-designated alternative answers

large representative sampleslarge representative samples administeredadministered

– face-to-faceface-to-face– remotely by telephoneremotely by telephone– self-administered by mail or internetself-administered by mail or internet

designed and coded for computer analysisdesigned and coded for computer analysis declining response ratesdeclining response rates

– access to respondentsaccess to respondents– motivationmotivation– effective questionnaire designeffective questionnaire design


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AccessAccess

sample framesample frame sampling methodsampling method

– randomrandom– nth addressnth address– random walkrandom walk– quota samplequota sample


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MotivationMotivation

appeals toappeals to– altruismaltruism– public or personal benefitspublic or personal benefits

reciprocityreciprocity trust in researchertrust in researcher

– approach, mannerapproach, manner– reputation of universityreputation of university– IDID– authenticationauthentication


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Effective Questionnaire DesignEffective Questionnaire Design

limited number of questionslimited number of questions short, simple, unambiguous, plain Englishshort, simple, unambiguous, plain English no leading questionsno leading questions don’t knowsdon’t knows no repliesno replies sequence critical: sensitive questions lastsequence critical: sensitive questions last classifier questions at endclassifier questions at end proxy-indicatorsproxy-indicators show cardsshow cards scaling attitudesscaling attitudes many pilotsmany pilots


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Scaling AttitudesScaling Attitudes

semantic differentialsemantic differential Likert ScaleLikert Scale Guttman scaleGuttman scale Bogardus social distance scaleBogardus social distance scale scale ratingscale rating


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Personal SafetyPersonal Safety

DoDo– carry IDcarry ID– carry mobile phonecarry mobile phone– stay is sight of stay is sight of

colleaguescolleagues– daylightdaylight– personal alarmpersonal alarm– public placespublic places– notify policenotify police

Don’tDon’t– accept invitationsaccept invitations– harass or hinder harass or hinder

peoplepeople– stand in doorways stand in doorways

or other private or other private placesplaces

– get involved in get involved in argumentsarguments


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codingcoding

codescodes scopingscoping generic codesgeneric codes recording responsesrecording responses


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Questions for Discussion or AssignmentsQuestions for Discussion or Assignments

1.1. Pilot the exhibit questionnaire (Pilot the exhibit questionnaire (why are the British so anti-EU?why are the British so anti-EU? ) ) on at least two members of the public (not students). What on at least two members of the public (not students). What improvements would you suggest and why?improvements would you suggest and why?

2.2. You are asked to test the hypothesis that age and education You are asked to test the hypothesis that age and education strongly influence the likelihood of electors voting in general strongly influence the likelihood of electors voting in general elections. You must use a questionnaire. Identify the sample elections. You must use a questionnaire. Identify the sample frame. Devise a quota sample for on-street survey. Design, test frame. Devise a quota sample for on-street survey. Design, test and revise a questionnaire of no more than twelve questions. and revise a questionnaire of no more than twelve questions. Administer the questionnaire to ten members of the public in Administer the questionnaire to ten members of the public in the main shopping street. Comment critically on your the main shopping street. Comment critically on your experiences as a questionnaire writer and questionerexperiences as a questionnaire writer and questioner

3.3. Discuss critically the claim that questionnaires can measure Discuss critically the claim that questionnaires can measure people’s attitudes and beliefspeople’s attitudes and beliefs

4.4. Most of the national opinion polls published in the lead-up to the Most of the national opinion polls published in the lead-up to the 1992 UK general election wrongly forecast the outcome. 1992 UK general election wrongly forecast the outcome. Critically assess the various explanations given.Critically assess the various explanations given.

research methods in politics 10

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