What is a good question? Although there are several potential sources for error in survey data, the validity of surveys is dependent upon the design of the question asked. This invaluable book shows how to word and format questions that will evoke the kind of answers for which they are designed and how to evaluate empirically survey questions. In addition, the book covers how to write good questions aimed at collecting information about objective facts and events, measuring subjective phenomena, some alternative methods for attacking common measurement problems, how to evaluate the extent to which questions are consistently understood and administered, and how to evaluate the data resulting from a set of questions.
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About the Author
Floyd J. Fowler Jr. is a graduate of Wesleyan University and received a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 1966. He has been a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Survey Research at UMASS Boston since 1971. He was Director of the Center for 14 years. Dr. Fowler is the author (or co-author) of four text books on survey methods, as well as numerous research papers and monographs. His recent work has focused on studies of question design and evaluation techniques and applying survey methods to studies of medical care.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic book with timeless advice,
By
This review is from: Improving Survey Questions: Design and Evaluation (Applied Social Research Methods) (Paperback)
After reaading many books on questionnaires, I find this one provides the most generally useful advice in a readable, compact format. Much cheaper and more advanced than the Survey Kit (also published by Sage), Fowler's book should find a place on the bookshelf of anyone writing questionnaires or surveys.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Short, sharp, effective. Dr Fowler covers it all.,
By D. Stuart "Researcher at Kudos" (Auckland NZ) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Improving Survey Questions: Design and Evaluation (Applied Social Research Methods) (Paperback)
The author has been a senior research fellow since 1971, and in that time has no-doubt seen it all when it comes to marketing and social research projects. In fact the volume was written after an evaluation of many significant social surveys where (he wasn't setting out to prove this) Fowler found the standard of questionnaire writing quite inadequate.In "Improving Survey Questions" he goes methodically through the philosophy, the problems and the techniques of writing better, more reliable questions that are easily understood (by a diverse audience) and are easily responded to - thanks to clear, unambiguous instructions. If he has one main lesson it is this: pre-test your surveys. His ultimate wish is that more pre-testing take place in the world of professional research. A worthwhile book - not exactly entertaining in style - but would make a great basis for in-house training in your organisation. I refer to my copy frequently, and used it to strip down my questionnaire style and build it up again from scratch. A good if somewhat salutary exercise for the professional.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A solid and useful text,
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This review is from: Improving Survey Questions: Design and Evaluation (Applied Social Research Methods) (Paperback)
Fowler begins with this observation: "Poor question design is pervasive, and improving question design is one of the easiest, most cost-effective steps that can be taken to improve the quality of survey data." I agree. This brief (190 pp.), clearly-written text provides a number of practical and sensible guidelines for the design and evaluation of survey questions. There are other texts about survey questions, but none with the same depth and focus. While not written in as friendly a style as some cookbook introductions to survey research, Fowler's book should nevertheless be accessible to any reader who has taken at least an introductory course in research methods. Recommended.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
In the social sciences, and increasingly in medical sciences as well, important measurements are based on a question-and-answer process. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
intensive individual interviews, field pretest, asking multiple questions, pretest interviews, cognitive interviews, having interviewers, designing questions, evaluating questions, response distortion, asking people questions, soft drink consumption, response task, rating task, response alternatives Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Possible Question, United States, Better Example, National Health Interview Survey, Interviewer-Administered Interview, Kansas City, Millard Fillmore New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
In the social sciences, and increasingly in medical sciences as well, important measurements are based on a question-and-answer process. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
intensive individual interviews, field pretest, asking multiple questions, pretest interviews, cognitive interviews, having interviewers, designing questions, evaluating questions, response distortion, asking people questions, soft drink consumption, response task, rating task, response alternatives Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Possible Question, United States, Better Example, National Health Interview Survey, Interviewer-Administered Interview, Kansas City, Millard Fillmore New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 5
books:
17
books
cite this book:
See all 17 books citing this book
- Survey Research Methods, Third Edition (Applied Social Research Methods Series) by Floyd J. Fowler Jr. in Front Matter, Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Research Methods (with InfoTrac) by Donald H. McBurney in Front Matter
- Marketing Research by Seymour Sudman in Back Matter
- Art of Asking Questions (Studies in Public Opinion) by Stanley Payne on page 154
- Methods for Policy Research (Applied Social Research Methods) by Ann Majchrzak in Front Matter
-
Polling America [Two Volumes]: An Encyclopedia of Public Opinion
: Polling America: An Encyclopedia of Public Opinion, Volume I, A-O by Samuel J. Best on page 18, and page 35 - A Handbook for Social Science Field Research: Essays & Bibliographic Sources on Research Design and Methods by Ellen Perecman on page 137
- The Practice of Research in Social Work by Rafael J. Engel in Back Matter
- Customer Surveying: A Guidebook for Service Managers by Frederick C. Van Bennekom in Back Matter
- Piraterie in der Filmindustrie: Eine Analyse der Gründe für Filmpiraterie und deren Auswirkungen auf das Konsumverhalten (Markt- und ... / Markets and Organisations) (German Edition) by Nikolai Dördrechter on page 339
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