PSC 207: About the Course

Survey And Questionnaire Research Methods

Fall, 2009

Instructor: Prof. Gregory Herek
Time: Mondays & Wednesdays, 2:10 - 4:00 pm
Location: 166 Young Hall
Units: 4
CRN: 39639

Asking questions – in self-administered paper questionnaires, in telephone and face-to-face interviews, and through the internet and other electronic media – is one of the primary research strategies employed by psychologists and other behavioral and social scientists. Asking good questions was once assumed to be more art than science. In the past two decades, however, thanks mainly to advances in cognitive science and improvements in survey technology, an extensive scientific literature has developed on how to ask questions and how to understand responses to them.

PSC 207 provides students with an extensive introduction to survey and questionnaire research methods with a special emphasis on how to ask questions. Students learn about empirical research and theory on the cognitive, motivational, and social processes that influence how respondents answer questions. They gain an understanding of the practical implications of these processes by designing their own survey instrument in stages throughout the term, and presenting successive versions of it to the class for feedback and discussion. Students are also introduced to sampling theory, ethical issues in survey and questionnaire research, and practical considerations in fielding survey studies. Through in-class and homework assignments, students learn how to use relevant internet resources for survey and questionnaire research.

Course Syllabus

The course syllabus can be downloaded (in Acrobat format).

Texts (available in the campus bookstore and Shields Library Reserves)

Important: We will use three main texts during the quarter. They are all excellent books. However, their usefulness to you may vary depending on your disciplinary background and research goals. For this reason, all three books are listed as "optional" at the campus bookstore. Feel free to purchase some or all of them now if you wish, but you can also wait until after we discuss them at the first class meeting.

  • Dillman, D. A., Smyth, J. D., & Christian, L. M. (2009). Internet, mail, and mixed-mode surveys: The tailored design method (3rd ed.). Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley & Sons. (ISBN: 9780471698685)
  • Bradburn, N. M., Sudman, S., & Wansink, B. (2004). Asking questions: The definitive guide to questionnaire design (Rev. ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. (ISBN: 9780787970888)
  • Tourangeau, R., Rips, L. J., & Rasinski, K. A. (2000). The psychology of survey response. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. (ISBN: 0521576296)

Selected journal articles and chapters may also be assigned (available at the library, on the web, or through campus photocopying services).

Prerequisites

  • Graduate standing in psychology or another social or biological science
  • Completion of a graduate or undergraduate research methods course, or knowledge of basic research methods

Tentative List of Course Topics

  • The psychology of survey and questionnaire response: Cognitive, motivational, and social processes.
  • Asking questions about behavior and knowledge.
  • Asking questions about attitudes and other subjective phenomena.
  • Visual versus spoken presentation of questions.
  • Data collection modes.
  • Closed vs. open-ended question formats.
  • Response formats.
  • Context effects: Item order, response order.
  • Visual presentation of questionnaire items: Layout and design.
  • Asking questions about sensitive topics.
  • Acquiescence and social desirability in responding.
  • Ethical issues in survey and questionnaire research.
  • Implementing the survey or questionnaire.
  • Embedding experiments in surveys.
  • Introduction to Internet databases of public opinion items and survey data sets.

Grading

  • Grades will be based on:
    1. Your satisfactory completion of assigned exercises and homework (20%)
    2. Your written and oral critiques of other students' questionnaire projects (20%)
    3. Your consistent attendance and participation in class discussions and peer critiques (20%)
    4. Your class presentations of your individual questionnaire project (20%)
    5. Your final individual questionnaire project (20%)

General UCD Information, Policies, and Resources

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