Comparing Readability Measures and Computer‐assisted Question Evaluation Tools for Self‐administered Survey Questions

IF 1.1 3区 社会学 Q2 ANTHROPOLOGY Field Methods Pub Date : 2022-10-14 DOI:10.1177/1525822x221124469
Rachel Stenger, Kristen Olson, Jolene D Smyth
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Abstract

Questionnaire designers use readability measures to ensure that questions can be understood by the target population. The most common measure is the Flesch-Kincaid Grade level, but other formulas exist. This article compares six different readability measures across 150 questions in a self-administered questionnaire, finding notable variation in calculated readability across measures. Some question formats, including those that are part of a battery, require important decisions that have large effects on the estimated readability of survey items. Other question evaluation tools, such as the Question Understanding Aid (QUAID) and the Survey Quality Predictor (SQP), may identify similar problems in questions, making readability measures less useful. We find little overlap between QUAID, SQP, and the readability measures, and little differentiation in the tools’ prediction of item nonresponse rates. Questionnaire designers are encouraged to use multiple question evaluation tools and develop readability measures specifically for survey questions.
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自我管理调查问题的可读性测量和计算机辅助问题评估工具的比较
问卷设计者使用可读性措施来确保问题能够被目标人群理解。最常见的衡量标准是Flesch-Kincaid等级,但也存在其他公式。本文在一份自填问卷中对150个问题的六种不同可读性指标进行了比较,发现不同指标的计算可读性存在显著差异。一些问题格式,包括那些属于一组的格式,需要做出对调查项目的估计可读性有很大影响的重要决定。其他问题评估工具,如问题理解辅助工具(QUAID)和调查质量预测工具(SQP),可能会发现问题中的类似问题,从而降低可读性度量的用处。我们发现QUAID、SQP和可读性度量之间几乎没有重叠,工具对项目无应答率的预测也几乎没有差异。鼓励问卷设计者使用多个问题评估工具,并专门针对调查问题制定可读性措施。
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来源期刊
Field Methods
Field Methods Multiple-
CiteScore
2.70
自引率
5.90%
发文量
41
期刊介绍: Field Methods (formerly Cultural Anthropology Methods) is devoted to articles about the methods used by field wzorkers in the social and behavioral sciences and humanities for the collection, management, and analysis data about human thought and/or human behavior in the natural world. Articles should focus on innovations and issues in the methods used, rather than on the reporting of research or theoretical/epistemological questions about research. High-quality articles using qualitative and quantitative methods-- from scientific or interpretative traditions-- dealing with data collection and analysis in applied and scholarly research from writers in the social sciences, humanities, and related professions are all welcome in the pages of the journal.
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