Web Survey Bibliography
This article presents a study which compared the impact of numeric values of rating scales in mail surveys and telephone interviews. The specific numeric values presented as part of a rating scale may change the meaning of the scale's verbal endpoints, essentially resulting in responses to different questions. The authors provide a conceptual replication of this finding in a different content domain and compared the relative strength of the impact of numeric values under telephone and mail survey conditions. The data are drawn from a larger experimental survey conducted with a systematic random sample of 412 adults (18 years or older), selected from the telephone directories for Mannheim and Heidelberg, Germany, in November and December 1991. The findings of the study replicate the phenomenon observed by Norbert Schwarz et al. in a different content domain and across two administration modes. Respondents use formal features of the questionnaire to determine the exact meaning of a question. Hence, combining a verbal label with a negative numeric value suggests a more negative interpretation of the verbal scale anchor and results in more positive responses along the scale. The findings indicate that the numeric values do not need to be presented in a visual format to receive sufficient attention.
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Web survey bibliography - 1995 (13)
- The effect of computer-assisted interviewing on data quality: A review.; 1995; de Leeuw, E. D., Hox, J., Snijkers, G.
- Subsequent questions may influence answers to preceding questions in mail surveys; 1995; Schwarz, N., Hippler, H. J.
- How to conduct self-administered and mail surveys; 1995; Bourque, L. B., Fielder, E. P.
- Alternative methods of presenting bi-polar scales in telephone interviews: 1 to 7 vs. -3 to +3 and neutral...; 1995; Schaeffer, N. C., Baker, K.
- A review of the 1992 VRS Exit Poll; 1995; Mitofsky, W. J., Edelman, M.
- The effects of alternative methods of collecting similarity data for multidimensional scaling; 1995; Bijmolt, T. H. A., Wedel, M.
- The Prodigy Experiment in Using e-Mail for Tracking Public Opinion; 1995; Werner, J., Maisel, R., Robinson, K.
- Computer-assisted Personal Interviewing: An Experimental Evaluation of Data Quality and Cost; 1995; Baker, R. P., Bradburn, N. M., Johnson, R. A.
- Method of psychological assessment, self disclosure, and experiential differences: A study of computer...; 1995; Loke, S. D., Gilbert, B. O.
- Respondent preferences toward audio-CASI and how that affects data quality; 1995; Kinsey, S. H., Thornberry, J. S., Carson, C. P., Duffer, A. P.
- Focus groups on the Internet: an interesting idea but not a good one; 1995; Greenbaum, T.
- An Exploratory-Study of The Perceived Benefits of Electronic Bulletin Board Use and Their Impact on...; 1995; Wotring, C. E., Forrest E. J., James, M. L.
- The numeric values of rating scales: A comparison of their impact in mail surveys and telephone interviews...; 1994; Schwarz, N., Hippler, H. J.