PRC Survey Design & Administration 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which scale type assigns numbers to categories without implying order or magnitude?
- Ratio scale
- Ordinal scale
- Interval scale
- Nominal scale (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Nominal scale
A nominal scale uses numbers purely as labels or identifiers, with no implied ranking or distance between categories.
Question 2: A researcher wants to measure customer satisfaction using a 5-point scale from 'Very Dissatisfied' to 'Very Satisfied.' What scale type is this?
- Ratio
- Interval
- Ordinal (Correct answer)
- Nominal
Correct answer: Ordinal
This is an ordinal scale because responses have a meaningful order but the intervals between points are not necessarily equal.
Question 3: What is the primary purpose of a pilot test in survey research?
- To collect final data from a subset of the population
- To identify problems with question wording, flow, and length before full deployment (Correct answer)
- To validate the sampling frame
- To establish inter-rater reliability
Correct answer: To identify problems with question wording, flow, and length before full deployment
A pilot test detects ambiguous wording, confusing instructions, and technical issues before the survey is launched at scale.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes 'telescoping error' in survey research?
- Respondents skip questions that seem irrelevant
- Respondents recall events as occurring more recently than they actually did (Correct answer)
- Interviewers read questions too quickly
- Survey questions are too long to comprehend
Correct answer: Respondents recall events as occurring more recently than they actually did
Telescoping error occurs when respondents compress time and place events closer to the present than they actually happened.
Question 5: In a self-administered questionnaire, what is the recommended maximum number of open-ended questions to minimize respondent burden?
- No more than 1
- No more than 3–5 (Correct answer)
- As many as needed for depth
- Open-ended questions should be avoided entirely
Correct answer: No more than 3–5
Research practice recommends limiting open-ended questions to 3–5 in self-administered surveys to reduce fatigue and improve completion rates.
Question 6: What does the term 'satisficing' mean in the context of survey response behavior?
- Respondents provide highly detailed, accurate answers
- Respondents select the first plausible answer rather than the best answer to reduce cognitive effort (Correct answer)
- Respondents refuse to answer sensitive questions
- Respondents answer questions differently on re-test
Correct answer: Respondents select the first plausible answer rather than the best answer to reduce cognitive effort
Satisficing occurs when respondents put in minimal cognitive effort, settling for a 'good enough' answer rather than the most accurate one.
Question 7: Which question format is most susceptible to acquiescence bias?
- Multiple-choice questions
- Ranking questions
- Agree/disagree questions (Correct answer)
- Open-ended questions
Correct answer: Agree/disagree questions
Agree/disagree formats are prone to acquiescence bias because some respondents tend to agree regardless of the statement's content.
PRC Survey Design & Administration 2
Which scale type assigns numbers to categories without implying order or magnitude?