Tools of Data Collection

3.10 FORMULATING QUESTIONS FOR

MEASURING ATTITUDES
1) Make sure that the attitude objects are clearly specified.
2) Decide on the critical aspects of the attitude to be measured—affective, cognitive,
and action.
3) Do not assume that these must necessarily be consistent.
4) Measure the strength of the attitude by building a strength dimension into the
question itself; by asking a separate question or questions about strength; or
by asking a series of independent questions, each of which reflects the general
attitude.
5) Avoid double-barreled and one-and-a-half barreled questions that introduce
multiple concepts and do not have a single answer. Where possible, separate
issues from individuals or sources connected with the issues.
Example 1 (Bad): Do you favor legislation or marijuana for use in private homes but
not in public places?
Example 2 (Better): Do you favor or oppose legislation of marijuana for use in
private homes?
Consider the use of separate unipolar items if there is a possibility that a bipolar item
might miss independent dimensions.
Example 1 (Bipolar): In the past few days were you…excited or bored , joyful or
depressed
Example 2 (Unipolar): In the past few days were you…..Yes No Bored?, 1.
Depressed? 2.
Recognise that the presence or absence of an explicitly stated alternative can have
dramatic effects on response. Specification of alternatives will standardise the question
for respondents.
Example 1 (Bad): In the past two years has your income increased or decreased?
Example 2 (Better): In the past two years has your income increased, decreased, or
remained the same?
Pretest new attitude questions to determine how they are being interpreted by
respondents.
If general and specific attitude questions are related, ask the general question first.
When asking questions of differing degrees of popularity involving the same underlying
value, ask the least popular item first.
In attempting to measure changes in attitude over time, ask exactly the same questions
in all time periods, if at all possible.

3.11 MEASURING ATTITUDES: RECORDING

RESPONSES
1) Use open questions sparingly, for example, to develop further questions, to
explore a topic in depth, and to obtain quotable material.
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2) Closed-ended questions are more difficult to construct but easier to analyse and Questionnaire Method
less subject to interviewer and coder variance.
Avoid interviewer field coding, if at all possible. If necessary, it is better to have field
coding done by the respondent.
Example 1 (Bad): Interviewer says, “In general, how good is your health?”
Excellent Good Fair Poor
Note: Interviewer codes what the respondent says and inevitably makes the decision.
For example, “It’s not wonderful, but its’ O.K.” This response could be coded by
interviewer as “Good” or “Fair.”
Example 2 (Better): Would you say your health, in general, is
Excellent Good Fair Poor
Start with the end of a scale that is least socially desirable. Otherwise, the respondent
may choose a socially desirable answer without hearing or reading the entire set of
responses.
Do not use rating scales with more than four or five verbal points. For more detailed
scales, use numerical scales.
Example 1 (Bad): 1) Extremely likely 2. Very likely 3 Somewhat likely 4. Slightly
likely. 5. Slightlyt unliely 6. Somewhat unlikely 7. Very unlikely 8. Extremely
unlikely
Example 2 (Better): Extremely Likely Extremely Unlikely
123456 7
Consider the use of analogies such as thermometers, ladders, telephone dials, and
clocks for numerical scales with many points.
Ranking of preferences for alternatives can be done only when respondents can see
or remember all alternatives.
In telephone interviews ranking should be limited to two or three alternatives at a
time.
In self-administered and face-to-face interviews where cards are used, respondents
can rank no more than four or five alternatives.
If many alternatives are present, respondents can rank the three most desirable and
the three least desirable.
Rankings can be obtained by a series of paired-comparison questions.
Respondent fatigue, however, limits the number of alternatives that can be ranked.
Example 1 (Paired comparison): Would you prefer to go shopping on a weekday or
on the weekend?
When lists are used, complete information can be obtained only if each item is
responded to with
a “yes/no,” “applies/does not apply,” “true for me/not true for me,” and the like,
rather than with the instruction “Circle as many as apply.”
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Tools of Data Collection Complex ratings, even in two dimensions, can be accomplished by means of card-
sorting procedures.
Self Assessment Questions
1) Make list of a good questionnaire.
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2) According to you which types of questions are not included in a good
questionnaire.
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3.12 QUESTIONS FOR MEASURING KNOWLEDGE

1) Before asking attitude questions about issues or persons, ask knowledge questions
to screen out respondents who lack sufficient information.
2) Consider whether the level of difficulty of the questions is appropriate for the
purposes of the study. For new issues simple questions may be necessary.
3) Where possible, reduce the threat of knowledge questions by asking them as
opinions or using phrases such as “do you happen to know” or “can you recall,
offhand.”
4) When identifying persons or organisations, avoid overestimates of knowledge
by asking for additional information or including fictitious names on the list.
Example 1 (Bad): To what extent do you think a to e below, can be trusted to
act honestly while in office?
a) Manmohan Singh
b) L.K.Advani
c) Atal Behari Bajpai
d) P.Chidambaram
e) Pranab Mukherjee
If “yes/no” questions are appropriate, ask several on the same topic to reduce the
likelihood of successful guessing.
For knowledge questions requiring numerical answers, use open-ended questions to
avoid either giving away the answer or misleading the respondent.
Example 1 (Open ended): How many hours a day is the store open?
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Consider the use of pictures and other nonverbal procedures for determining Questionnaire Method
knowledge.
When attempting to determine level of knowledge, do not use mail or other procedures
that allow the respondents to look things up or to consult with others.
Procedure to be followed step by step in making an instrument for data collection:
1) Define the purpose
2) Develop the questions
3) Develop a guide
4) Arrange a schedule
5) Set up the groups
6) Conduct the sessions
7) Record the data
8) Analyse the data
9) Present the findings [not discussed below]
10) Develop the questions. Plan for 5–10 questions.
Effective group questions are carefully defined.
a) They Are always open ended (none of these are to be yes-or-no questions).
b) They are qualitative rather than quantitative in orientation (they ask about
perceptions and feelings, rather than about facts or numbers);
c) Never ask “why” directly;
d) Have many imbedded probes; and
e) Allow for process concerns as well as content.
f) Develop a guide
Successful groups for data collection comprise people who share some common
characteristic (such as being your client), have diverse experiences, and represent
diverse perspectives.
Problems to be avoided
Interviewers often get into trouble because they violate basic rules. The following
problems should be avoided:

Type Example What to Do or Avoid

Double-barreled Have you ever experienced Avoid double-barreled
questions burnout, and what do you questions. Ask one
do to prevent it? question at a time. Do not
combine questions and
expect an answer.

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