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

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ASKING NONTHREATENING QUESTIONS ABOUT BEHAVIOR 61<br />

<strong>The</strong> long list example typifies the most serious problem with<br />

aided recall—the implicit expectation that a respondent needs to<br />

provide positive responses. If a behavior is reasonably salient and<br />

the reporting period reasonably short, aided-recall procedures may<br />

lead to substantial overreporting and should not be used, or should<br />

be used only in conjunction with other procedures that reduce<br />

overreporting. (<strong>The</strong> exceptions to this rule are the socially undesirable<br />

behaviors discussed in Chapter Three, where aided-recall<br />

methods help compensate for the general tendency of respondents<br />

to underreport.)<br />

<strong>The</strong> short screener question—“Did you happen to read any<br />

magazines in the past two weeks, or not?”—may have the opposite<br />

effect. If such a screener is used several times in the interview,<br />

respondents may learn that they can skip out of a whole series of<br />

questions by saying “no.” In general, it is better to vary question<br />

formats where possible, to make the interview more engaging for<br />

the respondent and also to decrease the chances of respondent<br />

anticipation.<br />

Make the Question Specific<br />

One simple reason for making each question as specific as possible<br />

is to make the task easier for the respondent, which, in turn, will result<br />

in more accurate reports of behavior. General questions, if they<br />

are answered conscientiously, require substantial effort by the<br />

respondent. Consider a seemingly straightforward question such as<br />

“What brand of soft drink do you usually buy?” If the question is<br />

taken seriously, the respondent must first decide on the appropriate<br />

time period, and then what conditions to include. For instance, are<br />

purchases at work, in restaurants, at sporting events, and at movies<br />

to be included? Or are only store purchases for home use to be<br />

counted? <strong>The</strong> respondent must next decide on the meaning of the<br />

word you. Does it refer only to the respondent or to all members of<br />

the household? How are purchases by one household member for

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