Asking Questions - The Definitive Guide To Questionnaire Design ...

96 ASKING QUESTIONS
Figure 3.8. Questions on Alcoholic Beverage Use, continued.
People drink __________ by itself or with mixers such as water, soft drinks,
juices, and liqueurs. Did you ever drink, even once, __________? (If no, go
to Q. 5.) (If yes) You might have drunk __________ as a cocktail, appetizer,
to relax in a bar, to celebrate some occasion, to enjoy a party, or for some
other reason. Have you drunk any __________ in the past year?
Yes (Ask a, b, and c.)
No (Ask a and b.)
a. When you drank __________, on the average how often did you drink it?
Include every time you drank it, no matter how little you had.
b. Most of the times you drank __________, on the average about how
many drinks did you have at one time?
c. Thinking about more recent times than the past year, have you drunk
any __________ in the past month?
5. Sometimes people drink a little too much beer, wine, or whiskey so that
they act different from usual. What word do you think we should use to
describe people when they get that way, so that you will know what we
mean and feel comfortable talking about it?
(If no response, or awkward phrase, use “intoxicated” in following
questions. Otherwise use respondent’s word(s).)
(If R. has answered yes for drinking any alcohol in the past year)
Occasionally, people drink a little too much and become __________. In the
past year, how often did you become __________ while drinking any kind of
alcoholic beverage?
6. Next, think of your three closest friends. Don’t mention their names, just
get them in mind. As far as you know, how many of them have been
__________ during the past year?
Source: Q.1, Gallup, 1977; Q.2–Q.6, National Opinion Research Center, 1972, cited in
Bradburn, Sudman, and Associates, 1979.