Data Collection & Sampling Flashcards

A researcher uses geofencing technology to send a mobile survey to shoppers who enter a retail store. This is best classified as:

Answer: Location-triggered intercept survey

Location-triggered intercept surveys use geofencing to automatically invite participants to a survey when they enter a predefined geographic area.

What is the main advantage of using a 'split-ballot' design in questionnaire research?

Answer: It allows testing of different question wordings or formats on separate subsamples

Split-ballot designs expose different versions of a question (wording, scale, or order) to separate random subsamples, enabling researchers to measure the effect of those differences.

In the context of online survey research, what is 'speeders' and why are they a data quality concern?

Answer: Respondents who complete surveys far below the median completion time, suggesting they did not read questions carefully

Speeders complete surveys in unrealistically short times, indicating they likely skipped reading questions and provided low-quality, random, or inattentive responses.

Which sampling method is most vulnerable to the 'volunteer bias' problem?

Answer: Self-selection (opt-in) sampling

Self-selection sampling allows individuals to decide whether to participate, meaning those who volunteer may differ systematically from non-volunteers, introducing volunteer bias.

A researcher wants to study how consumers naturally interact with a new product in their home environment without researcher interference. The most appropriate data collection method is:

Answer: In-home ethnographic observation or diary study

In-home ethnographic observation or diary studies capture natural behavior in the actual usage environment without the artificial conditions of a lab or survey.

What is 'acquiescence bias' in survey research?

Answer: Respondents' tendency to agree with statements regardless of content

Acquiescence bias is the systematic tendency for respondents to agree with or endorse statements regardless of the actual content, also known as 'yea-saying.'

When calculating the required sample size, increasing the desired confidence level from 90% to 99% while holding margin of error and population variance constant will:

Answer: Increase the required sample size

Higher confidence levels require larger z-values in the sample size formula, which directly increases the required sample size for the same margin of error.