Web Survey Bibliography
Title Evaluating Grid Questions for 4th Graders
Author Maitland, A.
Year 2016
Access date 09.06.2016
Abstract
Eye-tracking has been used to better understand the survey response process. For instance, eye-tracking has been used to identify questions that are difficult to comprehend, how to present long lists of response options, and to measure the length of fixation on definitions in Web surveys. Grid questions have been commonly used in Web surveys as well as in other types of surveys. The literature shows respondents took less time to answer questions when they were presented in a grid than when they were presented individually across separate pages or screens. The use of grid questions, however, may also be associated with several undesirable outcomes, including higher breakoff rates, higher missing data rates, and straightlining. Relatively little is known about how children answer grid questions. This paper demonstrates how eye-tracking was used to determine the feasibility of using such questions to measure the background characteristics of students in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) questionnaire. Fourth grade students were answered both grid and discrete (single-item per screen) versions of questions on tablet computers while wearing real-world eye tracking glasses. This study addresses four research questions related to the use of eye-tracking to test survey questions. First, we examine whether grid items require more effort to answer than discrete items for fourth grade students. Second, we investigate how the processing of sub items changes within a grid. Third, we examine how the processing of questions change overtime. In order to address these research questions, we examine difference in the mean number of fixations per word and the mean duration per word for grid and discrete questions. Overall, the study finds support for the use of grid questions with fourth grade students in the NAEP. Implications forthe use of eye-tracking equipment to evaluate survey questions are also discussed.
Access/Direct link Conference Homepage (abstract)
Year of publication2016
Bibliographic typeConferences, workshops, tutorials, presentations
Web survey bibliography - Maitland, A. (8)
- Evaluating Grid Questions for 4th Graders; 2016; Maitland, A.
- Web Probing for Question Evaluation: The Effects of Probe Placement ; 2016; Fowler, S.; Willis, G. B.; Moser, R. P.; Townsend, R. L. M.; Maitland, A.; Sun, H.; Berrigan, D.
- Conducting Survey Experiments Using an Online Labor Market ; 2016; Fowler, S.; Willis, G. B.; Moser, R. P.; Townsend, R. L. M.; Maitland, A.; Sun, H.; Ferrer, R.; Berrigan...
- Using eye-tracking to understand how fourth grade students answer matrix items; 2015; Maitland, A.; Sun, H.; Caporaso, A.; Tourangeau, R.; Bertling, J.; Almonte, D.
- Mobile Devices for the Collection of Sensitive Information; 2015; Maitland, A.; Mercer, A. W.; Tourangeau, K.; Williams, Do.
- An Examination of the Relationship Between Pretest Method Results and Data Quality; 2013; Maitland, A.
- How Many Scale Points Should I Include for Attitudinal Questions?; 2009; Maitland, A.
- Should I label all scale points or just the end points for attitudinal questions?; 2009; Maitland, A.