Market Research Survey Design & Questionnaire Development 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the difference between 'open-ended' and 'closed-ended' questions in surveys?
- Open-ended questions are longer; closed-ended questions are shorter
- Open-ended questions allow free-form responses; closed-ended questions provide fixed response options (Correct answer)
- Open-ended questions are used only in qualitative research; closed-ended only in quantitative research
- Open-ended questions have no correct answers; closed-ended questions have exactly one correct answer
Correct answer: Open-ended questions allow free-form responses; closed-ended questions provide fixed response options
Open-ended questions allow respondents to answer in their own words without constraints, while closed-ended questions provide specific response options to choose from.
Question 2: What is a 'semantic differential scale'?
- A scale measuring the semantic reading complexity of survey language
- A bipolar rating scale anchored by opposite adjectives at each end (Correct answer)
- A differential equation applied to analyze semantic patterns in survey data
- A scale that differentiates between semantic and syntactic survey construction errors
Correct answer: A bipolar rating scale anchored by opposite adjectives at each end
A semantic differential scale measures the connotative meaning of an object by asking respondents to rate it on a series of bipolar adjective pairs such as good-bad or fast-slow.
Question 3: What is 'question order effect' in survey research?
- The order in which completed survey questions are processed by the data coding system
- The influence that the sequence of questions has on respondents' answers to subsequent questions (Correct answer)
- The effect of question numbering on response accuracy and completion rates
- The order in which responses are coded and analyzed after data collection
Correct answer: The influence that the sequence of questions has on respondents' answers to subsequent questions
Question order effects occur when earlier questions prime respondents or influence the context through which they interpret and answer later questions, threatening response validity.
Question 4: What is the purpose of 'reverse-coded items' in a survey scale?
- To translate survey items into reverse order for international respondents
- To detect and correct for acquiescence bias by phrasing some items in the opposite direction (Correct answer)
- To code all open-ended responses in reverse alphabetical order for analysis
- To reverse the response scale direction to provide visual variety for respondents
Correct answer: To detect and correct for acquiescence bias by phrasing some items in the opposite direction
Reverse-coded items are worded in the opposite direction to catch respondents who answer without reading carefully, improving overall data quality.
Question 5: What is the 'Delphi method' in market research?
- A proprietary survey platform used for conducting large-scale quantitative studies
- A structured iterative process of expert consensus-building through anonymous rounds of questionnaires (Correct answer)
- An ancient Greek-origin method for measuring consumer attitudes and preferences
- A method for developing survey questions using expert panels in a single collaborative session
Correct answer: A structured iterative process of expert consensus-building through anonymous rounds of questionnaires
The Delphi method uses multiple rounds of anonymous questionnaires to collect and refine expert opinions, with aggregated results shared between rounds until consensus is reached.
Question 6: What is 'acquiescence bias' (yes-saying) in survey research?
- When respondents systematically refuse to answer certain sensitive survey questions
- When respondents tend to agree with statements regardless of their actual content (Correct answer)
- When survey acquiescence is measured as a distinct demographic personality variable
- When respondents agree to the terms and conditions before taking an online survey
Correct answer: When respondents tend to agree with statements regardless of their actual content
Acquiescence bias is the tendency for some respondents to agree with statements or answer positively regardless of content, inflating agreement rates and threatening validity.
Market Research Survey Design & Questionnaire Development 2
What is the difference between 'open-ended' and 'closed-ended' questions in surveys?