CRE CRE Survey Design & Questionnaire Development 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the main advantage of using closed-ended questions over open-ended questions in a large-scale survey?
- They allow deeper narrative responses
- They are easier to code and analyze quantitatively (Correct answer)
- They eliminate social desirability bias
- They require no pretesting
Correct answer: They are easier to code and analyze quantitatively
Closed-ended questions produce standardized responses that can be efficiently coded, tabulated, and compared across large samples.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes 'acquiescence bias' in survey research?
- Respondents skipping sensitive questions
- Respondents tending to agree with statements regardless of content (Correct answer)
- Interviewers influencing responses
- Overrepresentation of one demographic
Correct answer: Respondents tending to agree with statements regardless of content
Acquiescence bias (yes-saying) occurs when respondents systematically agree with items irrespective of their true opinion.
Question 3: What is the purpose of using 'reverse-coded' items in a survey scale?
- To shorten the questionnaire
- To detect and reduce acquiescence and inattentive responding (Correct answer)
- To improve visual layout
- To increase the number of response options
Correct answer: To detect and reduce acquiescence and inattentive responding
Reverse-coded items require respondents to disagree in order to score positively on the construct, exposing careless or yes-saying patterns.
Question 4: In online survey design, what does 'survey fatigue' typically result in?
- Higher data quality
- Increased random or careless responses toward the end (Correct answer)
- More detailed open-ended answers
- Lower cost per response
Correct answer: Increased random or careless responses toward the end
As surveys grow longer, respondents become fatigued and may rush, select random answers, or abandon the survey, degrading data quality.
Question 5: Which scaling technique asks respondents to distribute a fixed number of points among several items to reflect relative importance?
- Semantic differential scale
- Constant sum scale (Correct answer)
- Guttman scale
- Thurstone scale
Correct answer: Constant sum scale
A constant sum scale forces respondents to allocate a fixed total (e.g., 100 points) across items, revealing relative priorities.
Question 6: Why is it best practice to place sensitive or personal demographic questions at the END of a survey?
- They require the most analysis time
- Respondents are more likely to complete the survey before encountering sensitive items (Correct answer)
- Demographics have no effect on earlier answers
- They reduce the total question count
Correct answer: Respondents are more likely to complete the survey before encountering sensitive items
Placing sensitive questions at the end preserves completion rates because respondents have already invested effort in answering substantive items.
CRE CRE Survey Design & Questionnaire Development 2
What is the main advantage of using closed-ended questions over open-ended questions in a large-scale survey?