In survey research, several best practices should be followed to ensure data quality and reliability. According to Babbie (2014), researchers should make survey items clear, avoid double-barreled questions, and ensure that respondents are both competent and willing to answer. Additionally, it is important to include only relevant questions and avoid negatively biased items or terms that might influence responses. Following these principles helps produce valid and consistent findings.
The dependent variable for my question is the perceived risk of screen time for 3-5-year-olds. The question I’m using to measure my dependent variable is “I see screentime as a risk to your child’s development.” The attributes for this question are a scale of 0-10; 0 represents “not at all,” and 10 represents a “great amount.”
The independent variable for my question is parental status. The question I’m using to measure my independent variable is “Are you a single parent?” The attributes for my question are “yes,” “no,” and “prefer not to say.”
These are good, well-written questions because they prevent misunderstanding and avoid biases, which can lead participants to interpret questions differently and can unintentionally push participants towards wrong answers. Furthermore, these questions are also well written because they are appropriate for respondents’ knowledge so that their answers are informed. Both questions are uncluttered, contain one question per line, and are in a consistent format (Babbie, 2014).
Works Cited
Babbie, E. R. (2014). The Basics of Social Research (6th ed.). Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.