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99 Interviews and Surveys in Scientific Works
A survey awakens various expectations in those surveyed. If the goal and sense behind the sur-
vey is not revealed, the respondent answers in a tactical manner.
Recommendation: Guide the willingness to answer through revealing the goals and concepts
of the survey.
The willingness to answer is, in addition, influenced by trust in the interviewer. This includes the
knowledge that information will be handled confidentiality, as well as the impression that the in-
terviewer will experience something new and interesting.
Recommendation: Carry this out in a collaborative fashion, and explain the use of the answers
(secure or, if applicable, anonymity).
The relationship of those queried to the object of the survey can vary widely. If the participant has
read or heard something about it, if he is engaged now and then in the practice of it, or concerned
with it on a daily basis -- all can influence the relationship. Thus the answers can vary widely as well.
Recommendation: Realistically judge the capability of answering. Try, if applicable, to increase
this capability through relevant information.
Critics of the survey method say that objectivity of the survey methods is not always achieved in
practice. In fact, the survey situation, the behavior of the interviewer as well as the structure of
the measurement instruments themselves are not without influence on answer reactions. Also,
the survey does not deliver any information about objective reality, but rather information on how
the subject sees objective reality, and therefore in a subjective manner. The standardization of
interviews strives to increase the degree of objectivity as a condition for as reliable and valid
measurement as possible.
2 THE QUESTIONS
The interviewer's questions serve a double function. They should deal with specific content in
such a way that the participant can understand without a loss of information. On the other hand,
they contribute to a positive survey atmosphere (Wittkowski, 1994., p. 29). Three principles need
to be applied in the formulation of questions:
1. Ensure clarity
When formulating the questions, vocabulary and syntax are to be chosen in such a way that there
is a complete and exact understanding between the partners. This means