The course focuses on the design of Web survey instruments or questionnaires.  There is a large body of research showing that design of Web surveys can have a big effect on the answers obtained.  The course will cover all aspects of instrument design for Web surveys, including the appropriate use of widgets (e.g., radio buttons, check boxes) for Web surveys, general formatting and layout issues, movement through the instrument (action buttons, navigation, error messages), and so on. The course will draw on empirical results from experiments on alternative design approaches as well as practical experience in the design and implementation of Web surveys. The course will not address the technical aspects of Web survey implementation (such as hardware, software or programming), and will also not focus on question wording, sampling or recruitment issues. The course will have a strong practical emphasis, examining many different examples of good and bad design, with recommendations for best practice, but will not involve hands-on practice with Web survey software. Participants are encouraged to bring their own examples to class for discussion.

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