POL 2156 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: No Labels
13 Dec 2013
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Revisit the difference between nominal, ordinal, and interval levels of measurement. Understand how levels of measure are reflected in the answers to survey questions. You should always strive for the highest level of measurement that is useful for the research question at hand. Use neutral language (this avoids bias or leading) Be clear (what is your income unclear family, individual, gross, after-tax income?) Keep response categories mutually exclusive & exhaustive (no overlap in categories and have all choices available as a category other & no response ) Select the highest reliable level of measurement (not always possible income) Pay close attention to question order (what comes 1st will contaminate what comes after & leave intrusive questions to the end of the survey) Minimize defensive reaction. (in some cases it is important to assure respondents that a socially incorrect response is alright)
