SC974-7-SP-CO:
Survey Measurement and Question Design
2024/25
Sociology and Criminology
Colchester Campus
Spring
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Monday 13 January 2025
Friday 21 March 2025
20
08 February 2024
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
MSC L31012 Survey Methods for Social Research,
MSC L310MO Survey Methods for Social Research
This module focuses on theoretical and practical tools for developing and writing survey questions and constructing questionnaires. The major emphasis is on how to construct individual survey questions and then put them together into a questionnaire. Topics include sources of survey error, response theories, visual design, open-ended questions, nominal and ordinal closed ended questions, mode issues, pretesting, and implementation.
The module course will consist of lectures, readings, discussion, and assignments. Throughout the course, students will apply what they are learning to the development of a questionnaire and implementation materials and will have opportunities to receive feedback on their questionnaire. The primary objective of this course is for each student to obtain and be able to demonstrate a full working knowledge of the science (concepts, theory, and empirical research) of questionnaire design.
The aim of this module is:
- To obtain and be able to demonstrate a full working knowledge of the science (concepts, theory, and empirical research) of questionnaire design.
By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the theoretical basis of survey measurement and measurement error.
- Identify appropriate survey design strategies for a range of measurement challenges.
- Understand the stages of completing a useful and appropriate survey.
- Design a questionnaire.
Syllabus
- Lecture 11 – Introduction to survey measurement and measurement error.
- Lecture 12 – Developing new questions.
- Lecture 13 – Behaviours and events: Retrieval and estimation.
- Lecture 14 – Attitudes (I): Questions and response effects.
- Reading Week.
- Lecture 15 – Attitudes (II): Response scales; demographic and knowledge questions.
- Lecture 16 – Editing: Sensitive questions; questionnaire structure.
- Lecture 17 – Testing survey questions.
- Lecture 18 – Web-designed questionnaires.
- Lecture 19 – Paper self-administered and interviewer-administered questionnaires.
This module will be delivered via:
- One 2-hour weekly seminar.
Attendance in person is expected.
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Class participation |
|
5% |
| Coursework |
Analysis Plan |
|
20% |
| Coursework |
Developing New Questions |
|
30% |
| Coursework |
Formatted Questionnaire |
|
45% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Pablo Cabrera Alvarez, email: pcabre@essex.ac.uk.
Dr Pablo Cabrera Alvarez (ISER)
socpgtad@essex.ac.uk
Yes
No
Yes
Prof Benjamin Bradford
University College London
Professor
Available via Moodle
Of 18 hours, 18 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s).
* Please note: due to differing publication schedules, items marked with an asterisk (*) base their information upon the previous academic year.
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