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

192 ASKING QUESTIONS
Resident Information About Neighborhoods
In the same study described above, information was also obtained
from a sample of neighborhood residents, not only about their personal
behavior and attitudes but also about the characteristics of the
neighborhood in which they lived. Two of these questions are
shown in Figure 6.9. Although residents would be expected to be
generally less knowledgeable than community leaders, they are better
able to report whether or not the family living next door is of
the same or a different race.
The last three questions in Figure 6.9 are taken from another
NORC study. They ask respondents to report about the physical
condition of the surrounding neighborhood with respect to litter,
vandalism, and road conditions. In a face-to-face interview, the
interviewer can obtain some of this information by observing and
recording the condition of the area. Observations, of course, are not
possible with telephone interviewing. Even with face-to-face interviewing,
the residents will have better knowledge of the area than
the interviewer, especially if the questions require more than brief
observation.
Figure 6.9. Neighborhood Information from Residents.
1. As far as you know, do both white and black families live in this
neighborhood?
Yes (If R. is black, ask a; if R. is white, go to Q. 2.)
No (Go to Q. 3.)
Don’t know (Go to Q. 3.)
a. Would you say that almost all of the families living in this neighborhood
are black?
Yes
No
Don’t know (Go to Q. 3.)