Research Methods: Concepts, Variables, and Measurement
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Questions and Answers

What is the reason self-administered modes are best fitting for esk.mail/internet?

  • Low diffusion of high-speed internet access
  • Uneven diffusion of high-speed internet access combined with low internet proficiency (correct)
  • High diffusion of high-speed internet access
  • Availability of adequate mail sample frames

    • What do researchers collect to study unobservable variables?

  • Single observable variable
  • Several related observable variables (correct)
  • No observable variables
  • Several unrelated observable variables

    • What is the purpose of factor analysis?

  • To determine if a set of variables is unidimensional
  • To determine the relationships between a set of variables
  • To determine if a set of variables is multidimensional
  • To determine the relationships between a set of survey items (correct)

    • What is a latent or construct variable?

    <p>An unobservable variable</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the goal of factor analysis in a set of survey questions?

    <p>To determine if the questions are measuring the same phenomenon</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a common application of factor analysis?

    <p>To identify relationships between items in a measurement instrument</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the difference between factor analysis and cluster analysis?

    <p>Factor analysis looks at variables, while cluster analysis looks at units</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of cluster analysis?

    <p>To look for clusters of units that are comparable</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the input data for factor analysis?

    <p>A matrix with variables and units</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does factor analysis help to determine?

    <p>If one dimension is being measured or if multiple dimensions are being measured</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Nonprobability Polls

    • Nonprobability polls have unknown recruiting strategies, making it difficult to determine the probability of a respondent being selected.
    • This leads to potential biases, as some individuals may be left out, and the sample may not be representative of the entire population.
    • Non-response is another issue, where people do not respond to surveys.

    Sample Size

    • The sample size depends on the confidence level, confidence interval, or margin of error.
    • It also depends on non-response rates.

    Survey Research

    Positioning Survey Research

    • Survey research is deductive, nomothetic, quantitative, positivistic, and pragmatic.

    Asking Questions

    • Survey research asks questions about behavior, attitudes, beliefs, opinions, characteristics, expectations, self-classification, and knowledge.
    • Surveys answer three types of questions: descriptive, relational, and predictive.

    Concepts and Variables

    • Concepts or constructs are theoretical and abstract.
    • Variables are empirical and measured in the world.
    • To test hypotheses, theoretical concepts must be translated into empirical variables.

    Quantitative Measurement

    Levels of Measurement

    • There are four levels of measurement: nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio.
    • Scales and indexes are used to measure complex concepts.
    • Scales consist of empirically connected parts, while indexes are sums of logically connected parts.

    Types of Scales

    • Likert scale: statements with categories, scores from 3 to 15, and strong statements.
    • Bogardus social distance scale: country, city, neighborhood, and home.
    • Semantic differential scale: statements with categories between two ends, such as good to bad.
    • Guttman scale: statements with categories, 0=no, 1=yes, and increasing intensity.

    Why Do a Survey?

    • Surveys are used to collect original data for describing a population too large to observe directly.
    • They are used for descriptive, explanatory, and exploratory purposes.
    • Scientific surveys are used for explanation, while commercial surveys are used for description.

    Steps in Survey Research

    • Research design
    • Select sample
    • Construct questions
    • Ask questions
    • Analyse data
    • Report results

    Types of Sampling

    • Single stage vs. multistage sampling
    • Random vs. systematic sampling
    • Stratification: specific characteristics of individuals are represented in the sample.
    • Power analysis for sample size determination
    • Response rate: the percentage of surveys returned.

    Constructing the Questionnaire

    • Things to avoid: jargon, slang, abbreviations, vagueness, emotional language, prestige bias, double-barreled questions, beliefs as real, leading questions, and issues beyond respondent capabilities.
    • Types of questions: contingency/skip questions and open-ended questions.

    Factor Analysis

    • Factor analysis is a statistical technique that analyzes relationships between survey items to determine whether they relate to an unobservable variable.
    • It is used to determine whether survey items are part of the same scale and measure the same phenomenon.
    • There are two ways of analyzing a data matrix: factor analysis and cluster analysis.

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    Description

    Understand the differences between theoretical concepts and empirical variables, and how to measure variables in research. Learn about the levels of measurement and how to apply them.

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