Improving Survey Methods With Cognitive Interviews in Small- and Medium-Scale Evaluations
Improving Survey Methods With Cognitive Interviews in Small- and Medium-Scale Evaluations
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DOI：
10.1177/1098214012441499
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发表时间：
2012-09-01
影响因子：
1.7
通讯作者：
Culbertson, Michael J.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Ryan, Katherine;Gannon-Slater, Nora;Culbertson, Michael J.
自我报告、结构化调查问卷的结果通常用于评估和应用研究，为决策和项目决策提供信息。尽管与调查证据的质量（例如，抽样精度）相关的问题有很多，但回应过程的有效性——受访者在回答问卷时如何处理思想和感知——是至关重要的。作为问卷设计和改进过程的一部分，我们评估了用于测试调查问题的认知访谈在多大程度上可以加强中小型规模评估的调查证据质量。为了说明认知访谈如何揭示受访者的反应过程和改进问卷解释，我们在两个领域（如教育）中提供了两种类型的评估（如需求评估）的摘录。本文最后简要总结了认知访谈的使用如何在调查发展、改进和适应中得到加强，以改善资源有限的评估中对调查问卷的解释。
Findings derived from self-reported, structured survey questionnaires are commonly used in evaluation and applied research to inform policy-making and program decisions. Although there are a variety of issues related to the quality of survey evidence (e.g., sampling precision), the validity of response processes-how respondents process thoughts and perceptions when answering questionnaires-is crucial. We assess the extent to which cognitive interviews, used to test survey questions as part of the process of questionnaire design and refinement, can strengthen the quality of survey evidence for small- and medium-scale evaluations. To illustrate how cognitive interviews can reveal respondents' response processes and improved questionnaire interpretations, we present excerpts from two types of evaluations (e.g., needs assessment) in two domains (e.g., education). The paper concludes with a brief summary about how the use of cognitive interviews can be augmented in survey development, refinement, and adaptation to improve survey questionnaire interpretations in evaluations with limited resources.